Three fall in drug stings

By Felipe V. Celino

ROXAS CITY, Capiz — A drug surrenderer and two sisters were collared in two buy-bust operations on March 5, 2020 in Ivisan, Capiz and this city.

Renan Espinosa of Brgy. Dayao here was arrested Thursday evening at Brgy. Sta, Cruz, Ivisan after yielding six sachets of suspected illegal drugs, the P500 marked money and a knife.

The operation was conducted by the Station Drug Enforcement Team(SDET) cluster 3 of Mambusao, Sigma and Ivisan police stations under Capt. Leomindo Tayupon, Ivisan PNP chief.

Tayupon said the suspect will be charged for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drug Act of 2002.

Espinosa was jailed for one year at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) here while his previous drug case was on trial. He was later convicted.

He was transferred to the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa while appealing his case to the higher court. But he was released after six months when the appellate court dismissed the case.

Meanwhile, two sisters were arrested Thursday afternoon in another drug bust operation by the Station Drug Enforcement Unit (SDEU) of the Roxas City Police Station on Arnaldo Boulevard, Barangay Baybay here.

Police identified the suspects as Marvy Apolinario, 31, of Barangay Tiza, and Shyrine Apolinario, 26 of Barangay Baybay, both here.

Recovered from the suspects were five sachets of suspected shabu, two cellphones, and the P1,000 marked money.

Police Master Sergeant Arcangeles said the suspects were daughters of the live-in partner of John Laserna who was the subject of the buy-bust operation last week at Sitio Pagutok, Barangay Milibili here.

But Laserna escaped from authorities.

Shyrine denied the accusations saying she was about to buy some food because it was the birthday of her child when the police arrived, snatched her cellphone, and declared the buy-bust.

Marvy also alleged that one of the cops slapped her on the face.

The two suspects were detained at the Roxas City police station while charges for violation of Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002) were filed against them.