Ex-con, 6 others nabbed in P.3-M drug bust

MANILA, Philippines -A man who served time for drug pushing was among seven people arrested during a drug bust in Marikina last Thursday, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said yesterday.

Agents confiscated from the seven suspects 75 grams of shabu – with a street value of P375,000 – as well as drug paraphernalia, a Ford Focus (ZSH-411), a loaded .45 caliber Colt pistol, PDEA director general Arturo Cacdac Jr. said.

He identified those arrested as Conrado Macalino, 46; Richard Pascual, 40; Michael Balagtas, 46; Rommel Tiangco, 40; Frederick del Rosario, 35; Ranier Amante, 34; and Darwin Canieso, 23.

Macalino is on the PDEA’s target list and an alleged member of a Marikina-based drug gang reportedly led by Randy Mina Domingo, Cacdac said. 

Macalino was arrested in 1995 for drug pushing and convicted under the old anti-drug law. He was freed in 2003 under probation.

Pascual, also on the PDEA’s target list, was arrested for drug possession by Marikina policemen this year but he was able to post P17,000 bail, Cacdac said.

Agents of the PDEA’s National Capital Region office under Jacquelyn de Guzman, in coordination with the Marikina police and the military, staged the drug bust in Balagtas’ house, which served as a drug den, in Sto. Niño.

A brief encounter ensued between one of the suspects and the agents, which resulted in the wounding of a PDEA personnel and the death of Alexander Siobal, one of the targets of the operation.

The wounded PDEA agent immediately brought to the nearest hospital for medical attention.

Cases for drug sale, maintenance of a drug den, being employees or visitors of a drug den, and possession of drugs and paraphernalia are being readied against the suspects, Cacdac said.