LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- Personnel of the La Trinidad Municipal Police Station (LTMPS) arrested three persons and seized illegal drugs worth P1.5 million Saturday morning, December 21, in Barangay Betag.

Major Roldan Cabatan, LTMPS chief, said police was conducting routine mobile patrol along Benguet Agri-Pinoy Trading Center (BAPTC) diversion road around 4 a.m., December 21, when they passed by an illegally parked vehicle with three male person inside.

The three were identified as Miller Paing, 28 from Poblacion, Bakun; Moises Tapi-ic Calayon, 36 and Disley Angkel, 30 both from Palina, Kibungan, Benguet.

Paing, Angkel, and Calayon refused to answer after police questioned them.

Upon inspection of the vehicle, police recovered 13 tubular rolled pack of marijuana with an estimated weight of 12.5 kilograms. The three persons are now facing violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drug Act of 2002.

In Baguio City, a peddler of methamphetamine hydrochloride, locally known as “shabu,” was arrested by the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) on December 19.

Joint operatives from Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU), BCPO Station 7 and Criminal Investigation Unit (CIU) in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)–Cordillera arrested in a drug bust is James Chan Oliver aka James, 35, married, driver in Tagudin, Ilocos Sur and a resident of No. 45 Arvisu Street, Middle Quezon Hill, Baguio City.

Oliver allegedly sold two sachets of suspected shabu weighing at least one gram worth P5,500 to an operative who posed as buyer.

During his arrest, another sachet of suspected shabu weighing at least five grams was confiscated in his possession.

Aside from the three sachets of shabu, drug bust money, a cellphone used during the transaction, a white motorcycle and assorted paraphernalia were also confiscated from the suspect.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Radino Belly, BCPO Police Community Relations and Public Information Officer said Oliver will be charged for violating RA 9165.

A case of violation of Sec.5, 11, 12 of Article II of RA 9165 was filed at the City prosecutor’s office and the arrested suspect was detained at the Baguio City Jail. (With reports from Jonathan Llanes)