Mother of four nabbed in drug bust; hubby also collared after operation

By Jennifer P. Rendon

A couple was arrested in a police anti-illegal drug operation early morning of October 10 in Molo, Iloilo City.

Sheena Yagaya alias Negra, 31, was collared in a buy-bust operation at their house in Barangay South Baluarte, Molo, around 5:37 a.m. on Tuesday.

Members of the Iloilo City Police Office-City Drug Enforcement Unit (ICPO-CDEU) and the Iloilo City Police Station 4, Coast Guard Intelligence Group Western Visayas and Maritime Police Station 6 conducted the bust.

Yagaya is facing charges for allegedly selling a sachet of suspected shabu for P10,000.

Another sachet of shabu and several non-drug items were later seized from her possession.

Lieutenant Colonel Antonio Benitez Jr., CDEU chief, said the seized drugs weighed around 5 grams and were valued at P34,000.

After the buy-bust operation, police implemented a search warrant on the couple’s room, which was on the second floor of the house where Yagaya was arrested.

But Yagaya’s common-law husband, 43-year-old Noli Catalan, who was the subject of the search operation, was not around.

Police recovered 16 sachets of suspected shabu worth P816,000.

Benitez said Catalan escaped but was arrested in a hot pursuit operation.

The couple was allegedly newly identified high value individuals.

Through their contact at the New Bilibid Prison, they took over the operation from suspected peddlers who were previously arrested.

At the police station, Yagaya was crying while asking police operatives how long she would be in jail.

The couple has four children. The eldest is only eight years old while the youngest is two months old.

Yagaya and Catalan are now detained and will be charged with violation of Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002).