A 40-year-old ex-convict who had just arrived in Cebu from Manila to deliver illegal drugs was arrested in a buy-bust operation early Friday, July 3, 2026, in Sitio Tipolo, Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City.
Joint operation leads to arrest
The operation was conducted at 2:57 a.m. by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 7, together with the Guadalupe Police Station 9, Philippine Coast Guard Central Visayas Intelligence Group, and Police Regional Office 8. PDEA 7 Director Joel Plaza identified the suspect as alias Niño, a resident of Barangay Cembo, Makati City.
Seized from the suspect was a large pack of suspected shabu weighing approximately one kilogram, with an estimated average market value of P6.8 million. Also recovered were a smartphone and other evidence, which have been submitted to the PDEA 7 Regional Office Laboratory for chemical analysis. The suspect is now detained at the PDEA custodial facility.
Case buildup and drug distribution network
Leia Alcantara, information officer of PDEA 7, said the agency conducted a three-week case buildup after receiving information from a trusted source. According to intelligence, the suspect was capable of selling 3 to 5 kilograms of shabu weekly, with his jurisdiction covering Regions 7 and 8.
Alcantara stated, “The suspect had a prior arrest in 2021 in the National Capital Region for illegal drug possession and was released in 2024 through a plea bargain.”
Arrival and legal consequences
Niño arrived in Cebu on Thursday, July 2, 2026, by sea vessel from Manila. If convicted of violating Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, he faces life imprisonment and a fine of P10 million.
