Drug war: 29 arrested in Metro Manila

MANILA, Philippines — At least 29 alleged pushers and users were arrested in Metro Manila over the past two days as part of the government’s war against illegal drugs.

Twelve suspects were apprehended in Quezon City, eight in Makati, five in Marikina and four in Pasig.

In Quezon City, eight were arrested in a sting in Barangay Payatas: two 17-year-old boys; Aries Buela, 36; Mark Balgbin, 23; Choey Barrameda, 27; Felizardo Soliman, 31; Frederick dela Pena, 26; and Ronel Acebuche.

Buela was the target while the others were caught in a drug session in his shanty.

Fourteen sachets of shabu and drug paraphernalia were seized from them.

Three sachets of shabu were reportedly seized from Emilio Mosquera, 47, and Angelo Martinez, 26, who were arrested in a sting in Barangay Pinagkaisahan.

Nine sachets of shabu and P300 marked money were recovered from Jose Palermo, 48, and Rodolfo de Jesus, 54 in a drug bust in Barangay Sta. Lucia.

In Makati, police arrested Jerlan Oliva, Joel Mones, Nestor Tanglao, Paolo Escopin, Harold Dingle, Carlo Escopin, Quintin Calderon Jr. and Michael Drin for illegal gambling but reportedly seized four sachets of shabu from them.

Varen Santos, 28; Uber driver Rudolf John Evangelista, 31; Rolando Santos, 52; Darwin Cruz, 38; and Rolando Timbre were arrested in a sting in Marikina.

The two Santoses and Evangelista were reportedly pushers while Cruz and Timbre were clients who bought shabu from them, police said.

Eight sachets of shabu were seized from them.

In Pasig, Jerry No and Diosdado Dizon were caught in separate stings.

Arnold Carasco was arrested for allegedly carrying two sachets of shabu at the Light Rail Transit Line 2 in Barangay Santolan.

Ronel Ambra was arrested after snatching a cell phone and P1,000 from Laura Santos at the Pasig Mega Market in Barangay Malinao. He reportedly yielded Santos’ cell phone and a sachet of shabu. – Robertzon Ramirez, Non Alquitran