Ex-web developer, 7 arrested in shabu buy-bust operation

MANILA, Philippines — A former web developer who was on top of Marikina City Police’s target list for drug peddling and selling was captured along with seven others in a buy-bust operation in Green Heights, Marikina City, early Sunday.

Randy Domingo, 34, of 107 Minahan Interior, Barangay (village) Malanday, was arrested on 305 Soliven St. in Green Heights in a residence suspected as a drug den owned by another suspect identified as Jonathan Manalang alias “Jam-Jam,” 30, at 4:30 a.m.

Domingo has been in the illegal drugs business selling methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) and marijuana for at least four years now based on police records detailing his activities starting 2010, Police Inspector Jerry Flores of the Marikina City Police Station Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force Group (SAID SOTG), who led the operation, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Despite being unemployed, Domingo owns a Mitsubishi Montero, a Toyota Rav 4 and a Toyota Fortuner including a condo unit at Marquinton Residences in Barangay Sto. Niño, Flores added. Domingo, however, had once worked as a web developer as written in an identification card shown by Flores to the Inquirer.

Domingo and Manalang were with Regi Manalang, 24, also of Green Heights; Robert Alvarez of Hacienda Village, Concepcion II; Adrian Candidato, 32, of Balubad St., Barangay Nangka; Rovie Moreno, 21, of Homeowner Drive, Barangay Sto. Niño; Regee Medina, 22, of Kupang, Antipolo City, and Genevieve de Guzman, 22, of De Guzman St., Marikina City during the arrest.

Confiscated from them were four sachets of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu; eight sachets of suspected dried marijuana leaves; one stick of dried marijuana; six improvised pipes, four of which with traces of suspected shabu while the other two had partially burned suspected marijuana leaves; a metal case containing suspected dried marijuana leaves; a glass jar containing suspected dried marijuana leaves; a rolled aluminum foil and an aluminum foil strip with traces of suspected shabu; an open plastic sachet with traces of suspected shabu; a cigarette lighter; an eyeglass case containing parts of an improvised pipe with traces of suspected shabu; three containers with marijuana butts; one sack with traces of suspected dried marijuana leaves; a plastic pack with traces of suspected dried marijuana leaves; cash money worth P350; a pair of scissors, a spatula and two units of weighing scale.

After a tip from an informant, an anti-illegal drug operation was planned, with a police posing as a buyer eventually leading to the arrest of the eight suspected drug peddlers. All confiscated drugs were submitted to the Eastern Police District Crime Laboratory while the suspects were detained at the Marikina Police station after drug tests were done on them.

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