LEGAZPI CITY – Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) operatives seized a total of 160 grams of suspected “shabu” (crystal meth) worth P1.07 million in separate drug operations, which led to the arrest of 13 suspected drug personalities in Baao town in Camarines Sur province.
At least four of those arrested on Wednesday were high-value targets (HVT), who were served separate search warrants in violation of the Comprehensive Illegal Drug Act, Gil Castro, PDEA-Bicol public information officer, said.
Castro, said during a phone interview, that operatives from the PDEA, Army and
National Bureau of Investigation, armed with search warrants conducted One Time Big Time drug operation around 3:45 p.m. in Barangay (village) San Juan.
Arrested were Romnick Bayta, Arnel Catimbang, Lizel Iballa and Annie Iballa all residents of Zone 3.
Nine others were arrested at Bayta’s residence which, according to Castro, was being used as a drug den. Princess May Villamer, Nilo and Marlon Boncayao, brothers Rommel and Rustum Laxamana, Drimgo Palermo, Herman Iglesia, Jonel Laceda, and Celso Zamudio, all residents of Baao town, were caught while having a pot session.
Confiscated were 26 plastic sachets containing suspected shabu weighing 50 grams worth P340,000.
At Iballa’s residence, operatives seized 23 sachets or 10 grams of suspected shabu worth P68,000. Two sachets (50 grams) of suspected shabu was seized from Lizel Iballa at her residence while at Arnel Catimbang’s house, operatives recovered two sachets of shabu worth P330,000.
Charges of possession and use of illegal drugs are being prepared against the suspects, Castro said.