The City Intelligence Unit (CIU) of the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) arrested a job order (JO) employee of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-7 who allegedly acted as a warehouse keeper and supplier of illegal drugs. The arrest occurred during a buy-bust operation at 6:18 p.m. on Monday, May 11, 2026, along Mantawe Drive Extension, Barangay Subangdako, Mandaue City.
Suspect Identified
The suspect, identified by the alias Midal, 48, works as a JO driver for DSWD-7 and resides in Tejero 2, Barangay Tejero, Cebu City. Authorities seized seven packs of suspected shabu weighing 500 grams with a standard drug price of P3.4 million.
Operation Details
The operation was led by Police Captain Noel Lungob under the command of MCPO chief Police Lieutenant Colonel Mark Gifter Sucalit, following surveillance on Midal who was alleged to be a shabu supplier in Mandaue. Background investigation by the CIU identified Midal as a High Value Individual (HVI) at the regional level and a known warehouse keeper.
Police stated that the drugs were allegedly owned by a certain alias Jomel, a person deprived of liberty (PDL) currently incarcerated at the Cebu City Jail, who is believed to be Midal's boss. Midal reportedly started as a warehouse keeper in January 2026, with his distribution area covering Mandaue and Cebu.
Modus Operandi
Investigation revealed that Jomel instructed Midal via cellphone calls on whom to deliver shabu, while payments were made through e-wallet after the customer sent a screenshot as proof of payment. According to police monitoring, Midal could sell over one kilogram of shabu weekly, depending on the occasion and demand from their downlines.
The suspect admitted to receiving a P5,000 commission for each shabu sale. Police believe that the arrest of Midal and the seizure of half a kilogram of suspected drugs will significantly impact the shabu supply in Metro Cebu.
Authorities have obtained names from the suspect for follow-up operations in the coming days. The police are preparing charges for violations of Section 5 and Section 11, Article II of Republic Act 9165 against the arrested individual.
