By Christopher Lloyd T. Caliwan
MANILA, (PNA)– Operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and Marikina City Police recently arrested seven persons including two target-listed drug personalities during a buy-bust operation on J.P. Rizal St., Santo Niño, Marikina City.
PDEA Director General undersecretary Arturo G. Cacdac, Jr. identified the suspects as Conrado Macalino, 46, tricycle driver; Richard Pascual, 40, unemployed,; Michael Balagtas, 46, unemployed; Rommel Tiangco, 40, unemployed; Frederick del Rosario, 35, construction worker; Ranier Amante, 34, unemployed; and Darwin Canieso, 23, unemployed. All are residents of Marikina City.
Cacdac identified Macalino as a target-listed drug personality and a member of the Randy Mina Domingo Drug Group operating in Marikina City. He was previously arrested in 1995 for drug-pushing and was convicted under the old anti-drug law Republic Act 6425, otherwise known as the Dangerous Drugs Act of 1972 but was later freed in 2003 under probation.
On the other hand, Pascual, also a target-listed drug pusher, was arrested for possession of illegal drugs by the Marikina Police this year but he was able to post bail worth P17,000 pesos.
At around 1:30pm on Sept. 12, agents of PDEA Regional Office – National Capital Region (PDEA RO-NCR) under Attorney Jacquelyn De Guzman, in coordination with Marikina City Police and with the assistance of the Military Intelligence Group, Intelligence Service Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP), conducted the buy-bust operation inside Balagtas’ residence doubling as a drug den in Sto Niño, Marikina City where the drug transaction took place.
A brief encounter ensued between one of the suspects and the operatives which resulted in the wounding of one PDEA personnel and the death of Alexander Siobal alias “Boss”, one of the targets of the operation.
The wounded PDEA personnel was immediately brought to the nearest hospital for medical attention.
Confiscated from the suspects were sachets of methamphetamine hydrochloride, or shabu, weighing approximately 75 grams worth P375,000 pesos, various drug paraphernalia, one Ford Focus with plate number ZSH 411 and one cal.45 Colt pistol containing one magazine loaded with six rounds of ammunition.
“The wounding of one PDEA personnel during the operation underscores the seriously hazardous nature of anti-illegal drug operations,” Cacdac said.
Cases for violation of Section 5 (Sale of Dangerous Drugs), in relation to Section 26 (Conspiracy to Sell), Section 6 (Maintenance of a Drug Den), Section 7 (Employees/Visitors of a Drug Den), Section 11 (Possession of Dangerous Drugs), Section 12 (Possession of Drug Paraphernalia) and Section 15 (Use of Dangerous Drugs), Article II of Republic Act 9165, otherwise known as The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, will be filed in court against the seven suspects.