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Monday, July 01, 2002
Half kilo of shabu seized from '3 triad men'
By Harley Palangchao
BAGUIO -- Operatives of the 14th Regional Narcotics Group have seized approximately half a kilo of shabu from three suspected members of a drug triad operating in Baguio and Manila during a buy-bust operation in Shangri-la Village along Quirino Highway Saturday afternoon.
Senior Supt. Orlando Mabutas, Northern Luzon Anti-Narcotics Group chief, told reporters Sunday that the prohibited drug was brought to Baguio City to be sold to the students. The seizure was the biggest shabu haul made this year.
The suspects were identified as Marcelo Mendoza de Juating Jr., 34, married, a businessman residing in San Rafael, Bulacan; Poncilito Gaviola Cruz, 40, married, also from San Rafael, Bulacan and Rafael Farinas Lumba, 38, married, also a businessman and the owner of the residential compound where they were collared.
"Sa ganitong quantity, nagko-confim na kasama sila sa malaking sindikato," Mabutas said, adding that they are also investigating 10 Manila-based policemen, including a police officer, for allegedly trying to "negotiate" for the release of the arrested persons. (With this quantity, it is confirmed that they are part of a large syndicate.)
One of the suspects, Lumba, denied any involvement in the drug deal, saying a friend introduced de Juating and Cruz to him. This friend left de Juating and Cruz in his home shortly before the buy-bust operation.
"Hindi ko naman talaga sila kilala at wala akong kinalaman dito," Lumba told reporters when he and the two other suspects were presented to the local media Sunday.
Intercede
A police inspector, who came to Baguio with nine other men, introduced himself and his companions as anti-drug operatives of the Western Police District and tried to intercede for the three suspects.
Mabutas did not identify the police inspector but his name was listed in the Nargroup's logbook as Ins. Luis P. Chico.
He said the inspector offered Baguio police P200,000 in exchange for the release of the three suspects.
"He (said he) was here to verify who was arrested but it seems he was here to (actually) negotiate (for the suspects' release)," Mabutas said, adding that the police officer claimed that they are in the city for an anti-drug operation.
Sensing that nothing was to come out of his offer, the police inspector immediately left, leaving his men behind. The nine other alleged policemen were being interrogated as of lunchtime Sunday.
An inspection of the vehicles used by the alleged policemen in coming to Baguio yielded several rounds of ammunition, a plate number, a bulletproof vest, and several personal belongings.
Verify
The supposed Manila-based cops arrived in the city aboard three luxury cars early Sunday morning and proceeded immediately to the 14th Nargroup-CAR office.
Baguio anti-drug enforcers are coordinating with the WPD office to verify if the 10 men are indeed legitimate agents of the district's drug enforcement branch.
"We want to verify also if they have clearance in coming to Baguio because this is already out of their areas of jurisdiction," a Nargroup agent added.
Saturday's anti-drug operation in Baguio was a follow-up of last week's anti-drug efforts in Bakakeng Norte, said Sr. Insp. Marcos Ebhalan, Jr., chief of the 14th Nargroup in the Cordillera.
Police were able to recover 278 grams of shabu from two lady drug pushers from Manila and a male suspect from Baguio.
He said that based on information provided by those arrested last week, some shabu dealers were in the city selling drugs. A series of surveillance operations were then conducted to confirm the information.
A report saying a shipment of shabu, unloaded at an unnamed seaport, had been transported to the city for distribution earlier alarmed Rep. Mauricio Domogan. (Sun.Star Baguio) |
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