Four suspected marijuana and shabu pushers were arrested recently in El Nido in two separate buy-bust operations implemented by the municipal police.
Arrested on February 17 (Sunday) by a team of police personnel and Philippine Drug Enforcement Authority (PDEA) agents headed by El Nido Police Chief Inspector Thirz Starky Timbancaya was suspected shabu peddler Allan Lloyd Legaspi, alias Turno.
He was arrested in Barangay Barotoan for possession of marijuana and shabu sachets, illegal drug paraphernalia, and the buy-bust money that was used in the operation by the police and PDEA team.
Next to be arrested in a separate buy-bust early Monday morning were suspected marijuana and ecstasy pushers Paul Gimenez, Mark Gerald Javarez, and Arsani Padilla in Barangay Pasadeña, El Nido.
Timbancaya said they confiscated cooked pancakes with marijuana leaves, several drug paraphernalia, and the buy-bust money from the three suspects.
He said Legaspi was instrumental to the the arrest of the three others because he is their leader.
“Ang trabaho ng mga ito grupo sila na nagbebenta ng sari-saring illegal drugs sa mga foreigners. Marijuana, shabu, pati ecstasy. Una naming naaresto itong si alyas Turno na leader nila. Ikinanta na silang tatlo kaya sila ang sumunod naming nahuli,” he said.
Timbancaya said their arrest was related to another that happened sometime ago in Manggahan where a suspect named them as part of a group that peddles shabu and other types of illegal drugs.
He said the dried marijuana leaves that were confiscated from the three suspects have an estimated value of P80,000.
“Ang info na nakuha namin ay ang halaga nasa P150,000 pero naka-dispose na sila so mga P80,000 na lang ngayon ‘yong naiwan. Nagbebenta sila sa mga foreigners. ‘Yong mga hotcake meron silang maliit na kalan sa maliit na kuwarto doon nila niluluto tapos ibebenta. Delikado kasi mas mataas ang dosage kapag naluto na… kung makatulog ang kakain, puwede nilang pagnakawan o gawan ng ano mang masama,” he said.
All suspects are now facing charges for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.
