Female fire officer, wanted man arrested in Negros buy-bust operation

BAIS CITY, Philippines – Police operatives on Monday evening, August 7 nabbed a female fire officer and another male suspect during a drug buy-bust operation in Bais City, Negros Oriental.

Police identified the suspect as Fire Officer 1 (FO1) Antonieta Abrasaldo Catacutan, 52, married and currently assigned at Bais City Fire Station, and Francisco Javier Garzon, a 42-year-old single man. Both are residents of Bais City, according to a spot report submitted to the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office.

Another suspect identified as Jade Torres Villafuerte, 33, was able to elude the police dragnet, the report said.

Confiscated from Catacutan and Garzon were a small heat-sealed transparent plastic sachet believed to be containing shabu, assorted drug paraphernalia, a cellular phone, an undetermined amount of cash, and the marked 500 peso bill used by the poseur buyer.

Police report said Garzon had a standing warrant of arrest earlier issued by Bais City-based Regional Trial Court (RTC 45) judge Candelario Gonzalez in relation to alleged violation of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2000.

In the last week of June 2017, authorities arrested a 47-year-old senior fire officer identified as Roel Deiparine and 6 other individuals for alleged gunrunning and illegal drug trade activities in Danao City, Cebu, according to the Central Visayas’ Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).

Also in June of this year, authorities arrested in separate police operations a fire officer, two active police officers, a retired fireman, and a retired jail officer for alleged involvement in illegal drugs in Zamboanga del Norte.

Arrested were FO3 Ramil Mosqueda, SPO1 Gilbert James, SPO1 Raul Maguinsay, Rolando Mosqueda, and Leopoldo Dangase, according to a report by the Zamboanga del Norte Police Provincial Office. – Rappler.com