8 drug suspects nabbed in separate operations in Albay, Camarines Sur

LEGAZPI CITY –– Separate drug busts in Albay and Camarines Sur provinces in the Bicol region on Wednesday have led to the arrest of eight persons and seizure of suspected crystal meth, popularly known as shabu, police said.

In Albay, two suspects––Alsan Pedong Ubane alias “Taba/Baha,” 36, in Daraga town and of Ely Boy Banzuela Calsiña, alias Bong, 52 in Manito town––were arrested in separate drug stings on Wednesday night, said Police Captain Dexter Panganiban, spokesperson of the Albay provincial police.

Ubane, an electronic technician from Legazpi City, was caught at 6:10 p.m. with several sachets of suspected shabu valued at P40,000, while Calsiña, considered a high-value target, yielded two medium-sized sachets of shabu with an estimated street value of P39,500.

In Camarines Sur, six suspected drug pushers were also caught in separate drug busts on Wednesday.

A report released Thursday by Colonel Roderico Roy Jr., Camarines Sur police director, said a female suspect, Julie Bernaldez, 37, was arrested after selling some P500 worth of shabu to an undercover police agent in Barangay Cadlan in Pili town at 5:40 p.m.

About an hour later, Edmundo Colasito, 49, was also arrested with three sachets of suspected shabu in an operation in Barangay Buracan of Sagñay town.

At 5:15 p.m., Maricel Dela Cruz, 42, and Allan Paulo, 44, were collared with two sachets of shabu in Barangay Marupit in Camaligan town.

In Minalabac town, Leo Huerno, 27, was also arrested in Barangay Sagrada Familia at 8:45 p.m. in possession of three sachets of shabu worth P4,500.

In Calabanga town, Graham Russel Gonzales, 24, was arrested with five sachets of shabu in Barangay San Miguel around 11 p.m.

Roy said the suspects were in the drug watch list of the provincial police.

ZB