‘Aswang’, 4 other suspected drug pushers nabbed in Quezon

LUCENA CITY – An alleged drug pusher known to his clients as “Aswang” and four other suspected drug peddlers were arrested in separate anti-drug operations in Lucena City and Tiaong town in Quezon province on Friday.

Senior Supt. Rhoderick Armamento, Quezon police provincial director, said anti-illegal drug operatives in Lucena City arrested Roger Valintin, 30, alias Aswang (a monster in Philippine folklore), and his associate Francis Piano, 29, after the two sold “shabu” (methamphetamine hydrochloride) to an undercover cop in Barangay (village) Dalahican around 3:35 p.m.

The suspects yielded ten plastic sachets of shabu weighing 4.68 grams worth P8,658.

Authorities tagged Valintin as one of major suppliers of shabu in the coastal village.

“Most often, he operates late at night that’s why he earns the moniker ‘Aswang’,” an operative said.

Earlier, the same police team also arrested Alelie Soria, 29 in another buy-bust operation at Perez park in Barangay 10. Police confiscated six plastic sachets of shabu weighing 1.80 grams with an

estimated value of around P3,330.

In Tiaong town, alleged drug trafficker Romel Matanguihan, 43, was arrested after policemen armed with search warrant raided his house in Barangay Lalig around 9:15 p.m. Cops found four plastic sachets of shabu weighing 6.3 grams and worth P11,340.

Tiaong police nabbed Richard Nato, 38, in another raid in Barangay Quipot. Authorities found five sachets of shabu worth P1,800 inside Nato’s house. KS