4 students, 2 tanods caught carrying drugs

MANILA, Philippines — Four students and two barangay watchmen were arrested in Metro Manila after they were caught with illegal drugs on Wednesday.

In Makati, bouncer Jelbert Nabarte, 30, frisked Syrian student Abdullah Alhelo, 26, before allowing him to enter the Z Hostel at around 1:20 a.m.

Nabarte told police he saw a sachet of marijuana tucked into the waistband of Alhelo’s underwear.

Police also arrested American tourist Mohamed Seaud, 36, after he allegedly tried to bribe Nabarte with P500 to let Alhelo go.

In Pasay, a 17-year-old student of President Corazon C. Aquino High School was arrested after school guard Marife Regala, 41, confiscated three sachets of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu from him.

School principal Anicia Monton called the police to arrest the student.

Two students of Taguig City University were arrested for allegedly carrying five sachets of marijuana and a tooter. Police officers were patrolling the area when they spotted students John Clement Manalo and Janine Ilang-ilang Cardozo acting suspiciously in the TCU compound at around 2:30 p.m.

In Manila, Barangay 787 Zone 85 watchmen Abel Omugtong, 40, and Eugenio Salanova, 46, were arrested in an anti-crime operation at the corner of F. Muñoz and Zobel Roxas streets in Malate for allegedly carrying three sachets of shabu at around 5 p.m. Wednesday.

The two tanods were in a barangay patrol vehicle and were reportedly caught inspecting sachets of shabu they bought from Paul Villanueva, 45.

They admitted to using shabu “so that they could remain awake while on patrol,” police said.

Eighteen other persons were arrested for illegal drugs in Manila over the past two days. – Rey Galupo