TACLOBAN CITY- The ongoing campaign to arrest those engaging in the illegal drug trade in the region had netted the apprehension of a member of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG). Arrested was PO3 Dennis Torrefiel, said to be one of the region’s top drug pushers who is operating in the Leyte and Samar areas. His arrest shows that they are serious on this campaign and does not condone their own who is engaging in the illegal act, Supt. Oscar Regala, CIDG-8 chief, said.
“The apprehension of P03 Torrifiel is a big accomplishment of the Tacloban PNP and CIDG-8. He is destroying the image of the CIDG which does not condone to any illegal (drug) activity,” he said. Torrefiel, 38 and a resident of Barangay 47 in Real St., this city, was arrested on July 10 at Barangay 64 in Sagkahan Bliss during a buy bust operation. Also arrested during the operation conducted by the CIDG, City Anti-illegal Drugs Task Force of the Tacloban city police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) were Nolasco Balintong, 64 year old, jobless and resident of Cavite East, Palo, Leyte; Romeo Molo, 50, jobless; Ronaldo Cabantac, 48 and Emilio Mendanio, 32. Molo, Cabantac and Mendanio are all residents of Brgy. 64. The law enforcers seized from the suspects 41 pieces of sachets containing shabu valued at P81,000. Supt.Rolando Bade, Tacloban city police director, said they received information on the presence of Torrefiel and immediately conducted the buy bust operation.
All are now detained at the Tacloban City Police detention facility as they were charged for violation of section 5(sale of dangerous drugs) and section 11(possession of dangerous drugs) of Republic Act 9165 otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.(LITO A. BAGUNAS)
