More than 200 people—including 96 who aroused suspicions just because they sported “gang tattoos”—were rounded up by the police across Quezon City in a saturation drive against crime suspects with outstanding arrest warrants.
The Quezon City Police District said it conducted “Oplan Galugad” from 9 p.m. Thursday up to 4 a.m. Friday and hauled in 229 people for questioning.
Only 12 of them turned out to have pending arrest warrants, but the QCPD still detained about a hundred more for alleged offenses committed on the spot, like carrying illegal drugs or unlicensed firearms and engaging in illegal gambling.
Others were held for violating local ordinances against smoking and drinking alcohol in public places.
“This drive was not only intended to capture wanted persons covered by arrest warrants and pick up suspects in other criminal incidents to curtail crimes in the city, but also to discourage criminals from other cities from holing out in Quezon City,” police said in a statement.
Forty-nine men were caught drinking liquor in public, 16 for illegal gambling, six for illegal drug possession and 12 for not wearing motorcycle helmets.
The QCPD was still checking the records of 96 people who were sporting gang tattoos.
The Galugad operations, which involved all 12 QCPD substations, also led to the seizure of two .45-caliber pistols, two improvised pen guns, several sachets of shabu and drug paraphernalia, and 12 unregistered motorcycles.