BACOLOD CITY — A resident of San Fernando, Cebu was arrested in a buy-bust operation that yielded PHP800,000 worth of suspected “shabu” (crystal meth) in Talisay City, Negros Occidental at 10:20 p.m. on Tuesday.
Police identified the suspect as Joven Catipay, 44, who sold a sachet of shabu to a poseur-buyer for PHP500 in Barangay Efigenio Lizares, resulting in his arrest by personnel of the Talisay City police, led by Insp. Joevel Niturada.
Supt. Boots Aseo, city police officer-in-charge, said in a radio interview that the suspect is considered a newly-identified drug personality as he had been staying in the city for only a few months.
Catipay, detained at the police station, was found in possession of one big sachet and two medium sachets of suspected shabu, along with PHP1,000 in cash, and a mobile phone, among others.
Police said the inventory of the seized illegal drugs was witnessed by barangay council members Ramon Reyes and Christine Panes.
The operation against Catipay was conducted a day after joint police teams arrested Marlon Cordero, 41, inside the Vermilion Pension and Dormitory on Mabini St., also in Talisay City.
On Monday afternoon, Cordero, a resident of neighboring Silay City, was also caught in a buy-bust and yielded 10 sachets of suspected shabu weighing 20 grams valued at PHP240,000. (Nanette Guadalquiver/PNA)
