Ex-con dealing drugs to jeepney, taxi drivers in Cubao area arrested

An ex-convict who plied blue-collar workers in Cubao, Quezon City, with low-quality methamphetamine hydrochloride, or “shabu,” was arrested on Sunday night after his customers turned out be policemen working undercover.

Philip Crespo, a 40-year-old resident of San Juan City, was caught by members of the Quezon City police’s anti-illegal drugs unit with 100 grams of yellowish, low-grade shabu worth around P100,000.

“This man reportedly sells shabu to workers at the Araneta Center like jeepney and taxi drivers, barkers and even vendors who need to be awake all the time,” said Senior Insp. Roberto Razon.

The official added that Crespo was released two years ago from the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City where he was imprisoned for drugs.

“The 100 grams we recovered is a big deal because we were able to stop him from selling that amount to the small-time users in his area in just a day,” Razon said.

A tipster earlier told police operatives of the former convict’s illegal trade, prompting them to set up a meeting with the drug dealer.

The undercover policemen initially wanted to buy 100 grams of shabu from Crespo who said he could offer them only a low-grade kind of the dangerous drug.

He later met with them at a fastfood restaurant in the Cubao area. Seized from him was a plastic sachet whose contents were later determined to be shabu.

The police said they would file drug peddling charges against Crespo.