9 drug pushers nabbed in Quezon buy-busts

LUCENA CITY–At least nine suspected village-level drug peddlers were arrested in buy-bust operations in Lucena City, Tayabas City and Gumaca town, all in Quezon province, on Wednesday and Thursday, police said.

Senior Supt. Rhoderick Armamento, Quezon police director, said the operations resulted in the confiscation of an estimated 10 grams of crystal meth (“shabu”) worth more than P70,000 in the street market.

In Lucena City, Supt. Vicente Cabatingan, police station chief, organized simultaneous twin buy-bust operations in the coastal village of Dalahican around 12:30 a.m. Thursday.

Anti-illegal drugs operatives collared Cindy Bensing, Jerry Arangusti, Joel Betito, Ariel Mandawe, and Reynante Amantillo.

Earlier, local policemen also nabbed Julie Gutlay and her sister-in-law Ma. Carmela Gutlay in another operation in Barangay Ibabang Dupay around 6:10 p.m. Tuesday.

Police also arrested alleged drug peddlers Maylen Bitoon in Tayabas City and Lornado Saturday in Gumaca town. /lb