By LITO RULONA
and NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent
A JOINT drug and buy-bust operation by the Regional Intelligence Division (RID) and the Police Station 8 based in Barangay Lumbia, this city, arrested a high-value target and confiscated more than P1 million worth of illegal drugs Monday evening.
Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo) Police Station 8 commander Chief Insp. Dennis Ebsolo conducted a buy-bust operation at Zone 7, Mahayahay, Barangay Bayabas resulted in the arrest of one Roly T. Delota, 39, married, and resident of Sitio Macanhan, Barangay Carmen. Delota also has a rented room in Barangay Bonbon.
Delota denied owning the illegal drugs but refused to comment on his arrest.
Ebsolo said Delota has been listed as a high-value target drug pusher.
Confiscated from Delota’s possession were 10 sachets of suspected shabu with an estimated weight of 150 grams and an estimated street value of P1.1 million, one P500 bill as buy-bust money, and P13,600 proceeds from the illegal trade.
Ebsolo said during the buy-bust operation, a police decoy was able to buy one sachet of suspected shabu from Delota but when the police found eight sachets and one big pack of suspected shabu after a search on Delota’s bag.
“He was identified by some residents as the same person selling illegal drugs in their barangay,” he added.
Ebsolo said they considered Delota as a high-value target because almost all police units in the city have failed in arresting him. He added Delota was hard to capture because local residents often come to him for financial support. Residents, Ebsolo said, called him “Robin Hood.”
“Last year pa kini siya nga HVT unya ayha pa namo na corner. We are very much thankful nga nakuha gyud namo siya,” he said.
Ebsolo told the Gold Star Daily he suspects that Delota is a member of bigger syndicated group that is operating in the city, considering that Delota is selling shabu in bulk.
Delota is currently detained at Police Station 8 mini detention cell while the confiscated illegal drugs were brought to PNP RCLO 10 for qualitative and quantitative examinations.
Police Regional Director Chief Supt. Agripino Javier commended the operating personnel for a job well done and “to continue its unwavering efforts in anti-criminality and to eradicate all forms of criminality particularly on illegal drugs.”
