Rookie cop, 2 others fall in Marikina anti-drug bust

Photo from Marikina Police

Authorities have apprehended a rookie police officer assigned at the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) and two other suspects following a buy-bust operation in Marikina City on Wednesday after midnight.

In a police report, the suspects were identified as PO1 Adrian Patrick Pinalas, 29, a member of the QCPD District Public Safety Batallion; Christian Gayil Villanueva Pangilinan, 32; and Jenalyn de Luna Jeriza, 25.

At about 12:10 a.m., Marikina City Police Station Drug Enforcement Unit (SDEU) personnel conducted a buy-bust operation along J. Libya extension in Barangay Nangka following a tip from an informant.

The informant disclosed that a certain Christian Pangilinan was peddling illegal drugs in the area, the report disclosed.

Marikina Police SDEU personnel, together with an undercover operative, then proceeded to the area to buy illegal drugs from Pangilinan, the suspect who was the target of the operation.

“After the act was consummated and pre-arranged signal was immediately given, the police officers rushed to the scene and arrested the target suspect together with the two others,” the report said.

Pangilinan was with Pinalas and Jeriza when the transaction was made, the report noted.

“The arrest of PO1 Pinalas is in line with Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa’s directive to eradicate skalawags in the PNP,” the report said.

Seized during the operation were five plastic transparent sachets containing white crystalline substance suspected as dangerous drug, one empty transparent plastic sachet, one black card holder and a P1,000 bill used as buy bust money.

The suspects were then brought to the Eastern Police District (EPD) Crime Laboratory for drug tests and laboratory examinations of recovered evidence.

As of this posting, the suspects were detained at the Marikina City Police Station while waiting inquest proceedings before Marikina City Prosecutor’s Office.

Charges for violation of Section 5 (pushing) and Section 11 (possession) of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, were being prepared against the suspects. /jpv