A 43-year-old man landed behind bars after he was arrested during a joint police and military buy-bust operation conducted in Zone 8, Barangay Pagatpat, Cagayan de Oro City on Friday evening, May 22, 2026.
Authorities identified the suspect only by the alias “Gerben,” a married resident of Bloomingdale, Barangay Iponan, Cagayan de Oro City.
According to the police report, the operation was carried out through the combined efforts of the CIU Tracker Team led by City Intelligence Unit chief PMAJ Dennis Rowell B. Flores, together with personnel from RID-10, RIU-10, Police Station 7, and Task Force Oro of the 4th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army.
During the buy-bust operation, a poseur-buyer successfully purchased one caliber .38 revolver without a serial number from the suspect, leading to his immediate arrest.
Aside from the firearm sold during the operation, authorities also recovered several illegal items from the suspect’s possession, including one 9mm pistol (1911 model, made in China) without a serial number, one steel magazine loaded with four live rounds of 9mm ammunition, one genuine P1,000 bill and one P1,000 boodle money used as buy-bust money, a black sling bag, a blue pouch, and a Suzuki Raider 150 motorcycle with sidecar bearing Plate No. 7831KQ.
More significantly, operatives also confiscated six large transparent plastic sachets containing suspected shabu weighing approximately 20 grams with an estimated street value of P136,000 based on the standard pricing of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
Police stressed that Body Worn Cameras and Alternative Recording Devices were utilized throughout the operation to ensure transparency and legitimacy, with the recordings expected to serve as evidence in court proceedings.
Authorities added that the inventory of confiscated evidence was conducted in the presence of Barangay Pagatpat Kagawad Jude Fuentes and members of the media, in compliance with standard operating procedures under the anti-drug law.
The suspect was reportedly informed of his constitutional rights, including his Miranda Rights, in a language he fully understood before he was brought to Police Station 7 in Bulua for proper disposition.
Recovered firearms and illegal drugs were later turned over to the Regional Forensic Unit-10 for qualitative and quantitative examinations.
The suspect is expected to face multiple charges for alleged violations of Republic Act No. 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act, as well as Section 11 of Republic Act No. 9165.