5 arrested drug pushers yield shabu, gun in Quezon

LUCENA CITY – Five suspected drug pushers were arrested in separate buy-bust operations in Candelaria and Pagbilao towns in Quezon province Sunday night.

Anti-illegal drugs operatives collared Arnel Lomerio, 44, and Manolito Hepana, 60, after they sold shabu (crystal meth) to an undercover policeman and his informant both posing as drug users in Barangay Alupaye in Pagbilao around 8:45 p.m.

During the transaction, while the suspects were onboard a motorcycle being driven by Lomerio, who is listed number four in the local police drug watch list, they sensed that they were dealing with a police officer.

The suspects sped off towards the town proper and were arrested after police chased them.

The suspects yielded one unlicensed caliber .38 revolver with two bullets and shabu sniffing paraphernalia.

According to police, drug syndicates were supplying guns to some of their pushers for protection, aside from giving them free shabu for personal use as incentives.

In Candelaria town, authorities busted Eubert Corpuz, 38, and his associate Chrizel Joy Orpiano, 24, in an operation in Barangay Malabanban Sur around 8 p.m.

The suspects, both included in the police list of local drug pushers, yielded a sachet of shabu worth P1,000 in the street market.

Two hours later, anti-illegal drugs operatives then arrested Eduardo Avelino, 39, also in the same village.

Seized from the suspect was a sachet of shabu worth P2,500. /je