TACLOBAN CITY- They may have voluntarily surrendered, but three known drug pushers in the city still continued their illegal drug activity. Thus, they were arrested in separate sting operations by anti-drug force, said city police director S/Supt. Rolando Bade. And one of those arrested was Rolando Ramirez, said to be a brother of a high ranking official. Also arrested were Romeo Balintong and Pablo Baldo. Balintong, 54, Ramirez, 47, and Baldo were separately arrested in buy-bust operations last July 28 which yielded in the confiscation of 11 sachets believed to contain shabu worth more than P8,000, drug paraphernalias, among others. Bade said that the three suspects have earlier voluntarily surrendered under the government’s “Oplan Tokhang” wherein alleged drug users and pushers are asked to give up on their illegal activity. The three were considered among by Tacloban police operatives as high value targets. The city police director said that Balintong and Ramirez were arrested while they were having their illegal drug session. It was learned that Balintong worked as a carpenter and resides in Brgy.74 while Ramirez is a meat vendor and a resident of Brgy. 36, Sabang district. Meantime, Baldo was arrested by members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in a separate buy-bust operation in Brgy.36, Sabang district where he resides and conducts his illegal activity. Cases for violation of sections 5 and 11 of Republic Act 9165, otherwise known as the Comprehensive Drugs Act of 2002, were filed against the suspects who were locked up at the Tacloban locked up. (LITO A. BAGUNAS)
