‘High value target,’ village watchman fall in Batangas drug busts

LUCENA CITY—Police arrested a “high-value” target and a village watchman (barangay tanod) in separate buy-bust operations in Lobo town in Batangas province early Sunday, police said.

Lobo police reported that anti-narcotics agents collared Efren Cerezo Jr., 41, after he sold P500 worth of shabu (crystal meth) to an undercover cop in Barangay Fabrica around 1:30 a.m.

Authorities seized two plastic sachets of shabu from the suspect, who was tagged as a “high value individual” in the report.

Later, police also busted Arnel Aldover, 46, village watchman in Barangay Masaguitsit, in another sting operation at the town center around 3 a.m.

The suspect yielded two sachets of meth.

The report did not state the total volume and street value of the confiscated illegal drugs from the two suspects.

The suspects were jailed and are facing charges for violation of Section 5 and 11, Article II of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.