5 suspected drug pushers held in Quezon

LUCENA CITY–Five suspected drug peddlers were arrested by policemen in four separate buy-bust operations in Quezon province on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Quezon police director Senior Supt. Rhoderick Armamento said Christian Reyes Jucal, 36, was arrested after he sold a sachet of crystal meth or “shabu” (methamphetamine hydrochloride) to an undercover policeman in Barangay Ibabang Dupay in Lucena City at 2:25 a.m. Wednesday.

Jucal had eight small plastic sachets of “shabu” weighing 2.44 grams worth P4,500 in the street market.

On Tuesday, suspected drug pushers Glenn Roldan Banagan, 36, and Princess Mae Mendoza Villalon, 20, were also collared by operatives armed with search warrant in a raid at Banagan’s safehouse in Barangay Mabato, in Mauban.

Authorities seized three sachets of “shabu” and assorted drug paraphernalia including a disposable lighter and rolled aluminum foil strips.

In Calauag, policemen also arrested 61-year-old Librando Lerum and recovered from him four sachets of “shabu” in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Sabang Uno.

Authorities in Lopez town arrested Edsal Valencia, 31, after he sold “shabu” to an undercover policeman in Barangay Villa Hermosa. Police recovered two sachets of crystal meth.

Armamento said the arrest of the five suspects was made possible with the active cooperation of former drug users who surrendered to the government.

“Most drug surrenderees are now our active tipsters,” he said.#