Cops nab 5 suspected drug pushers in Quezon

LUCENA CITY – Police arrested five suspected “pushers” in separate anti-illegal drugs operations in Tiaong and Lucena City in Quezon province.

Lucena City police chief Supt. Romulo Albacea said anti-illegal drugs operatives collared Franklin Manuba, Ricardo Armenia, Janbert De Rama and Jan Kenneth Baltazar after they sold shabu to a police poseur-buyer in the coastal village of Talao-Talao around 3:30 a.m. Thursday. The suspects were tagged as newly identified drug personalities.

Authorities confiscated a total of 19 plastic sachets of shabu weighing 5.88 grams from the suspects as well as a digital weighing scale, other drug paraphernalia, and the marked money used in the buy-bust.

In Tiaong town, police armed with a search warrant arrested Rene Castillo Landicho in Barangay Talisay around 6 p.m. Wednesday.

The suspect, listed as number three among top drug pushers in the locality, yielded 11 plastic sachets of shabu weighing 4.5 grams, and P10,000 cash, which was believed to be proceeds from the sale of the illegal drugs.   /kga