Suspected owner, 5 customers arrested
Anti-narcotics operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) dismantled a suspected drug den during a lawful search in Baguio City on July 24, 2015.
PDEA Director General Undersecretary Arturo G. Cacdac, Jr. said that the illegal facility, which is located in No. 27, Barangay Dominican-Mirador, Baguio City, is owned and operated by Howard Bugarin Lee, 40, years old, married, a taxi driver.
Lee is also an alleged member of a local drug group operating in Baguio and Benguet.
At about 4:00 in the afternoon, elements of PDEA Regional Office-Cordillera Administrative Region (PDEA RO-CAR) under Director Juvenal Azurin implemented a search warrant that led to the arrest of Lee in his residence in Barangay Dominican-Mirador.
During the operation, five suspected visitors identified as Zaldy Veniegas Del Rio, 44, salesman, a native of Burgos, La Union; Jay-Ar Pilaes Bautista, 26, single, a cellphone technician, of Dasmariñas,Cavite; Al Malupa Bartolome, 33, married, of Tuding, Itogon, Benguet;Saldy Garcia Fernandez, 29, single, driver; and Sarah Jane Anneb, 21,from Alapang, La Trinidad, Benguet., who were inside the house when the search is conducted, were likewise apprehended.
Seized inside were three heat-sealed transparent plastic sachetscontaining methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu weighing 13.8421 grams, marijuana resin weighing 31.0079 grams, several drug paraphernalia, three weighing scales, and 30 pieces of live ammunition for caliber 9mm.
A case 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 is being prepared for filing in court against Lee. An additional charge for violation of RA 10591 (IllegalPossession of Ammunition) also awaits him, while the others will be charged for violation of Section 7 (Visitors of a Drug Den) of the anti-drug law.
The suspects are presently detained at PDEA RO-CAR Jail Facility inCamp Bado Dangwa, La Trinidad, Benguet.(Mr. Glenn J. Malapad, OIC, Public Information Office, PDEA)
Posted By: Edrillan Pasion
