ORMOC CITY– Three individuals were arrested and a suspected drug den dismantled during a buy-bust operation jointly conducted by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Station Drug Enforcement Team of Police Station 1 (PS1) under the Tacloban City Police Office (TCPO) on May 6, in Barangay 87, Manlurip, Tacloban City.
PDEA Region 8 Director Bryan B. Babang identified the arrested suspects as alias “Peryong,” 40, married, tricycle driver, and a resident of Brgy. 83, Taguictic (identified as the drug den maintainer); alias “Linda,” 40, a street vendor and resident of Brgy. 87, Manlurip (den employee); and alias “Gil,” 39, a wedding designer from Brgy. 84, San Jose (den visitor).
A fourth suspect, alias “Dapyo,” 41, also a street vendor and believed to be a co-maintainer of the den, managed to elude arrest.
The operation targeted alias “Peryong,” from whom authorities recovered one sachet of suspected shabu worth P500 during the buy-bust.
A subsequent body search, conducted in the presence of mandatory witnesses, yielded a black coin purse containing five additional sachets of suspected shabu weighing approximately 10.1 grams, with an estimated market value of P68,680. Authorities also recovered various drug paraphernalia and a marked P500 bill used in the operation.
The suspects were informed of the charges and their constitutional rights under the Miranda Doctrine in a language they understood.
Formal complaints for violation of Sections 5 (sale of illegal drugs) and 11 (possession of illegal drugs), Article II of Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002), have been filed against the suspects, who are currently detained at Police Station 1 in Brgy. San Jose.
(ROBERT DEJON)
