Four nabbed in Arevalo drug sting

By Jennifer P. Rendon

Four persons were arrested in a police anti-illegal drug operation evening of May 28, 2023 in Arevalo, Iloilo City.

Police identified the suspects as Rainheart Abanie, 41, of Anaros Subd., Barangay Guzman Jesena, Mandurriao, Iloilo City; John Wilfred Santander, 30, of Barangay Hibao-an, Mandurriao; Avelino Mosura, 42, of Barangay Naulid, Miagao, Iloilo; and Jimboy Lasponia, 26, of Brgy. 31, Bacolod City.

The suspects were collared after Abanie allegedly sold a sachet of suspect shabu worth P1,000 to a police poseur-buyer near an abandoned house at Riverville Subdivision in Barangay Yulo.

At the time of the operation, Abanie was accompanied by his three friends.

Members of the Iloilo City Police Station 6 later seized from the suspects seven more sachets of suspected shabu, a mobile phone, cash of P240, and shabu paraphernalia.

Captain Mavin Laraño, ICPS6 chief, said the suspects gained access to the abandoned house since Mosura worked as a house painter in a nearby house.

This gave an idea to the three other suspects to use the abandoned house as their rendezvous.

Abanie was deemed the pusher while the other suspects were deemed to be drug users.

The four suspects are now detained and will be charged for violation of Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002).