Cops arrest 39 in Quezon drug operations

LUCENA CITY – At least 39 suspected drug personalities were arrested in three towns and one city in massive police operations on Wednesday.

Senior Supt. Rhoderick Armamento, Quezon police director, said the operations in Lucena City and the towns of Infanta, Candelaria and Tiaong seized 12 grams of crystal meth (“shabu”) worth around P72,000 at the street price of P6,000 per gram.

In Lucena City, police officers armed with search warrants, caught four alleged peddlers of shabu and drug den maintainers in the coastal village of Dalahican during simultaneous raids Wednesday afternoon.

Among those arrested were Melvin Magadia, Marilyn Banatlao, Jeopart Onggozo, and Jaime Botabora.

The operation also resulted in the arrest and filing of drug cases against 28 other persons.

The raids in Dalahican initially yielded at least 100 drug suspects.

But after thorough evaluation and validation, the rest were freed, but would be invited again for further questioning.

Drug pushers in the area have been supplying illegal drugs, particularly shabu, to dock workers, fishers, tricycle drivers and students.

In Infanta, policemen collared suspected drug pushers Jp Paloma, Mat Tropecales, Geronimo Corpuz, Antonio Regado and Wenfredo Rivera; in

separate buy-bust operations.

Authorities also confiscated a Mitsubishi Lancer believed being used by Regado and Rivera in their drug distribution.

In Candelaria, police arrested Serafin Saballa, after he sold a sachet of shabu to an undercover police acting as buyer.

The authorities also seized Saballa’s tricycle which he used during the drug transaction.

In Tiaong, policemen armed with a search warrant, also arrested Ramil Comia after the raiders found shabu and drug paraphernalia inside his house in Barangay Anastacia.

Armamento said their continuous operations are targeting the army of peddlers of illegal drugs in the communities based on information provided by drug surrenderees, rehabilitated drug users and police tipsters.

“Most of them are remnants of busted drug groups in the province. We have to pin them down to prevent them from causing further harm to the community,” he said. /lb