Ex-narcotics cop caught with ‘grass’

A former chief of the Caloocan City police anti-narcotics unit and two men were nabbed by police operatives in a marijuana buy-bust operation early yesterday morning in Malabon.

Inspector Noel Lasquite, drug enforcement unit (DEU) chief of the Malabon City Police, identified the suspects as Ex-Senior Inspector Marcial Villangca, 56, formerly of the Caloocan City Police DEU, residing in Dagat-Dagatan, Caloocan City; Ester Legaspi, 46, of University Avenue and Erlinda Nicolas, 40, of 91 Mangustan Road, the last two both of Barangay Potreto, Malabon.

Recovered from the suspects were an estimated one kilo of dried marijuana leaves and drug paraphernalia.

According to police reports, the sting operation was conducted at around four yesterday morning and the suspects were arrested right inside the house of Legaspi.

It was gathered that the DEU had been tailing Villangca and found out his illegal activities following mounting complaints from alarmed residents.

Lasquite’s men established contact with the police and quickly mounted a buy-bust operation. Lasquite sent SPO1 Mario Lindy, PO1s Rommel Barro and Alfredo Mendez to nail down the suspects. – Jerry Botial