5 fall in drug den raid

CEBU, Philippines —  Five persons, including a sari-sari store owner, were arrested after authorities swooped down on an alleged drug den in Sitio Lower Nawanao in Barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue City on Friday evening.

According to Leia Alcantara, spokesperson of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-7, among the arrested suspects was Ivy Villarin Novela, 32, who was allegedly operating the drug den in the area.

Novela, a vendor, is among those in the list of individuals monitored by PDEA-7 for their illegal drug activities.

Aside from Novela, also arrested was her neighbor, Jan Mark Velasquez, 35, a resident of the same place.

The other nabbed suspects were Jhay-ar Caisia , 32;  Brandyl Gonzaga, 37; and Arnold Cabrera, 19, who are all residents of the place. They were caught inside the drug den.

During the operation, PDEA-7 agents seized 14 packs of suspected shabu weighing about 60 grams and valued at about P408,000. They were also able to retrieve the buy-bust money and several drug paraphernalia.

Alcantara said that they were monitoring the illegal activity in the place for about a week and immediately hatched the operation after confirming the same.

Alcantara added that Novela can allegedly dispose of about 100 grams of shabu every week.

Authorities were tipped off of the illegal transactions in the area through the Isumbong Mo Kay Wilkins program of the police.

Aside from PDEA-7 operatives, personnel from Mandaue City Police Station 2 also joined in the operation.

All arrested suspects are now placed in a lock-up facility in Mandaue and will be facing charges for violation of Article II of Republic Act 9165 or the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. — Rowena D. Capistrano, JMD (FREEMAN)