The Number 4 drug personality in the target list of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Cagayan Province was arrested after selling shabu to a PDEA agent who acted as poseur-buyer.
PDEA Director General Undersecretary Jose S. Gutierrez, Jr. identified the arrested notorious drug pusher as Segismundo Llapitan III, alias “Totie”, 52 years old, jobless. He said Llapitan, who ranks fourth in the PDEA Order of Battle, has been under the surveillance of PDEA Regional Office 2.
Llapitan was arrested by elements of PDEA-RO2 during a buy-bust operation on September 8, 2011 at Centro 1, Claveria, Cagayan. He was arrested with a cohort identified as Fredierose Tamboa, alias “Rose”, a 31 year-old vendor who is included the PDEA watchlist. The duo yielded a total of 8 plastic sachets containing 0.08 gram of shabu and two mobile phones. They are under the custody of PDEA RO2.
Meanwhile, another target-listed drug personality, this time in Central Luzon, was arrested on the same day in Barangay Poblacion, Mabalacat, Pampanga. Gerald Bondoc, 25 years old, was apprehended during an entrapment operation jointly conducted by PDEA RO3 and the Public Safety Department of Clarkfield, Pampanga. He yielded .9 grams of shabu contained in 2 plastic sachets. Bondoc, charged with violation of Section 5, Article II of RA 9165, or The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, is presently detained in PDEA RO3.
Gutierrez said that from January to August 2011, anti-drug operations of PDEA and other law enforcement agencies, particularly in the Regions 2 and 3 have resulted in the arrest of 163 and 339 drug personalities respectively. Confiscated shabu and marijuana in Region 2 amounted to as much as P2.6 million, while P10.2 million worth of illegal drugs were recovered in Region 3. Evangeline DJ Almenario, Chief, Public Information Office, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)
