Last of Taguig’s ‘most wanted’ drug suspects arrested

MANILA, Philippines — The Taguig City government announced on Tuesday the arrest of the last person on its list of Top 10 target drug suspects.

Authorities said Alfonso Dacquel, alias “Otoy,” who ranked number three on the list, was arrested on Oct. 1.

Apart from Dacquel, a former Marine, his wife Siena Joyce alias Shen, was arrested in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Central Signal Village, Senior Supt. Felix Arthur Asis, the city’s chief of police, said.

Chief Insp. Jerry Amindalan, head of the Taguig Station Anti-Illegal Drugs-Special Operation Task Group that headed the operation, said the Dacquels yielded six plastic sachets of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu worth P150,000.

“We were very careful during the operation knowing that the suspect is a former Marine described as armed and dangerous,” Amindalan said.

The arrest of the couple came after the apprehension of top drug suspects who made up the entire list.

Michael Butch Tan, who ranked number one, was arrested on Aug. 21, and Sancho Espiritu, who ranked number two, on Sept. 23.

Also arrested earlier this year were Richard Silvestre, Isidro Llagas, Mardie Talampas, Jackie Abone, Adonis Venus, Bags Malay and Rawie Castro.

“This is extremely good news. Everyone in the Top 10 has been barred from flooding our streets with drugs. This means our citizens, especially our children, will now have decreased exposure to this menace,” Mayor Lani Cayetano said in a statement.

She also lauded the police for its work in arresting 183 suspects tagged in the illegal drug trade, as stated in their 2015 third quarter report.

It was unclear though if the 183 already included the 10 individuals who figured in the city police’s Top 10 target drug personalities.

“Again, I commend the police for this very outstanding work. You all have our gratitude,” Cayetano said.  SFM