‘Awol soldier,’ cohort nabbed for illegal drugs in QC

MANILA, Philippines — A drug suspect, who claimed to be a former Army soldier, and his accomplice were detained after they yielded P3,000 worth of shabu (crystal meth) during a buy-bust operation in Cubao, Quezon City on Tuesday night. 

The arrested suspects were identified as Eril Laustristica, 33, who identified himself as a soldier of the Philippine Army but went absent without leave (Awol) and Daisy Prutente, 39, alias “Che.” 

The arrest of the two came after members of the Cubao police station, under the supervision of Lt. Col. Giovanni Hyacenth Caliao, and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-National Capital Region conducted a buy-bust operation along Edsa Northbound corner Aurora Boulevard in Barangay E. Rodriguez at 10:30 p.m.

Seized from the suspects were eight sachets of shabu valued at P4,000.

Caliao told INQUIRER.net that the investigators are still verifying if Laustristica was indeed with the Army but went on AWOL as the suspect claimed him to be.

The suspects were brought to Cubao police station for the filing of appropriate charges. (Editor: Jonathan P. Vicente)