22 drug suspects nabbed in Metro Manila

MANILA, Philippines — At least 22 persons believed to be involved in the illegal drug trade were arrested in separate anti-narcotics operations in Metro Manila in the past two days.

Fifteen of the drug suspects, including nine minors, were nabbed in Marikina City. 

Among them were Art Cruz Viloria, 23; July Lyndon Lumadila, 28; Jojo Arnais, 18; Gilbert Betriz, 33; Nelson Ramos, 52, and Delfin Castillo, 24.

The minors, aged 14 to 17, were turned over to the local Department of Social Welfare and Development, according to Inspector Gerardo Nuestro, head of the Police Community Precinct 4.

Nuestro said they conducted the sting after receiving information from a concerned citizen that the suspects were engaged in a drug session along Mustasa street in Barangay Tumana.

Police said they caught the suspects allegedly in the act of of sniffing shabu.

The suspects allegedly yielded six sachets of shabu, dried marijuana leaves, an improvised metal pipe and drug paraphernalia.

 In Manila, five suspected drug pushers were apprehended by anti-narcotics agents in separate stings.

Members of the Manila Police District Station 9 nabbed Rose Franco, 45; Marie Catalo, 37; Ann Margaret Villanueva, 34; Juvelyn Tabligan, 42, and John Gilbert Alfonso, 38, along Mabini street.

Police said they recovered 10 sachets of shabu, two motorcycles and the marked money from the suspects.

 In Navotas, two alleged drug dealers were apprehended by operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and local police at a public market in the city.

 They were Edison Donato and Pedrito Balderosa.

Chief Inspector Ilustre Mendoza said Donato was on the drug watchlist.

Most of the suspects’ clients were fishermen and vendors, police said.