MANILA, Philippines — A barangay watchman and his partner were arrested in a drug bust in Tondo, Manila Thursday night.
Robert Salinas, 38, and his partner Rizalyn Bamba, 36, have been under police surveillance and the sting was staged after investigators confirmed they were involved in the proliferation of illegal drugs in the area, according to Superintendent Jay Dimaandal, Manila Police District Station 1 commander.
Police Officer 1 Rhey-Jay Ibus posed as a buyer and managed to buy a sachet of shabu from the suspects at the corner of Masikap and Kagitingan streets just before 10 p.m., he said.
In Marikina, alleged pusher Jerome Abano, 22, was arrested in another sting in Barangay Tumana at around 12:45 a.m. yesterday after allegedly selling shabu to an undercover police officer for P500.
Five more sachets were confiscated from Abano, said Chief Superintendent Reynaldo Biay, director of the Eastern Police District.
In Barangay Industrial Valley Complex, police officers arrested fruit vendor Rubin Dencio at around 9 p.m. Thursday for allegedly carrying a sachet of shabu.
According to Biay, lawmen on routine patrol accosted Dencio for smoking in a public place and reported finding the shabu when they frisked him.
Meanwhile, alleged peddler Albeto Tamaca was arrested in a sting in Barangay Plainview, Mandaluyong at around 7 p.m. after he sold a sachet of shabu for P500 to an undercover policeman. – Emmanuel Tupas