23 persons arrested, shabu, marijuana, drug paraphernalia seized
Agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) shut down three residences where illegal drugs are sold and used, during the implementation of search warrants in Makati City.
PDEA Director General Undersecretary Arturo G. Cacdac, Jr. said that the houses doubling as drug dens in San Antonio Street, Barangay Pio del Pilar, Makati City are owned and maintained Maria Lourdes Castillo, alias Ludy, 45, a street sweeper/housemaid; and Delfin Roque, alias Ogie, 48, a painter.
On June 26, 2015, elements of PDEA Regional Office-National Capital Region (PDEA RO-NCR) Special Enforcement Team under Director Erwin Ogario conducted three lawful searches on the houses of Castillo and Roque by virtue of a search warrant issued by Judge Reynaldo Alhambra of RTC Branch 53, Manila which resulted in their arrest at around 6:30
in the evening.
Caught during the operation were Vilma Manalang, 38, the suspected supplier of the drug dens; and 20 others namely, Samuel Quintero, alias Sam, 46; Antonio Cariño, alias Ton, 47; Darnell Desvarro, 50; Dolores Calawin, alias Lorie, 58; Reynaldo Marquez,alias Rey, 58; Cristina Rebolledo, alias Gemma, 64; Juan Fugaban, alias Miguel, 49; Jilmar Torres, alias Jomar, 25; Jose Panganiban, 51; Reynaldo Argota, alias Rey, 56; Jomel Triñanes, 27; Jaime Mariano, alias Jun, 54; Rico Pangilinan, 54; Venerando Laggui, alias Venny, 61;
Edgar Ramirez, alias Ed, 46; Alejandro Rosauro, Jr., alias Jun, 45;Melchor Cordero, alias Jay, 47; Efren Manalang, alias Onyok, 22; Chat Santos, 51; and Gloria Andrade, 61, all alleged customers of the illegal facility.
Confiscated inside the dens were transparent plastic sachets containing methamphetamine hydrochloride, or shabu, weighing more or less 100 grams, with an estimated street value of P400,000; sachets of marijuana dried leaves weighing approximately 10 grams and
various drug paraphernalia.
Castillo and Roque will be charged for violation of Section 6 (Maintenance of a Drug Den), Section 11 (Possession of Dangerous Drugs) and Section 12 (Possession of Drug Paraphernalia), Article II, of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs
Act of 2002. An additional case for violation of Section 7 (Visitors of a Drug Den) and Section 15 (Use of Dangerous Drugs) of RA 9165 awaits the others.
