PNP probes alleged drug transactions involving detainees in Cebu City

Philippine National Police chief Police General Guillermo Eleazar on Wednesday ordered a thorough probe into the alleged transactions of two drug suspects with detainees in Cebu City.

In a statement, Eleazar said the involvement of detained drug traffickers in the illegal drug trade showed its strong operations in the country.

He instructed the director of the Police Regional Office 7 to investigate the matter and identify the cohorts of these illegal activities.

On Monday, suspects Benjie Lupian, 42, and Bryan Osabel, 35, were arrested in separate buy-bust operations.

Lupian was nabbed in Barangay Duljo Fatima after authorities seized 1,040 grams of suspected shabu worth around P7 million from him, according to the PNP.

Osabel was arrested after being caught with 501 grams of illegal drugs worth P3 million, the PNP added.

They claimed that they were dealing with inmates at the Cebu City Jail.       

Eleazar said the government can eradicate these activities with the help of the other concerned agencies such as the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology like what they did at the New Bilibid Prisons.

“That is why I am ordering our commanders to strengthen the coordination with these agencies to include the BJMP through intelligence-sharing in order to deny inmates from running the illegal drugs operations,” he said.

“I expect all our commanders to do something about this in the soonest possible time in order to do away with these doubts and speculations,” he added. — BM, GMA News