THREE people, including a government employee tagged as high-value target drug personality, were arrested while some P90,000 worth of suspected “shabu” were seized in separate drug busts in Zamboanga Peninsula, the police said Tuesday, June 18.
Police Major Helen Galvez, Police Regional Office (PRO)-Zamboanga Peninsula information officer, identified the arrested suspects as Joseph Llorente, 47; Christopher Arseña, 27; and, Ferdiejay Ybañes, 21.
Galvez said that Llorente was caught in possession of some P80,000 worth of suspected shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) when arrested around 9:40 p.m. Monday at Purok Malayan 1 in Sta. Filomena village, Dipolog City, the capital of Zamboanga del Norte.
She said P500 marked money, P1,300 cash believed to be proceeds money, a cellular phone and illegal drugs paraphernalia were recovered from the possession of Llorente.
Galvez added that Llorente, who is a government employee, is tagged as high-value target drug personality in Dipolog City.
The police official said Arseña and Ybañez, both construction workers, were arrested around 12:10 a.m. Tuesday at Sitio Sagrada in Camino Nuevo village, Zamboanga City.
She said confiscated from them were some P10,000 worth of suspected shabu packed in four heat-sealed plastic sachets and P200 marked money.
She the arrested suspects were detained while charges for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 are set to be filed against them.
The suspects were arrested as the PRO-Zamboanga Peninsula continue the anti-drug operations in the region, Galvez added. (Bong Garcia/SunStar Philippines)