Man uses church to sell shabu

Police nabbed an alleged male drug pusher during a buy-bust operation in the compound of the Don Bosco Church in Tondo, Manila Friday afternoon.

Western Police District’s Drug Enforcement Group chief Superintendent Jose Mario Espino said Roberto Latija, 35, of 40-A, Quezon st., Bo. Magsaysay, Tondo had been the subject of complaints by Don Bosco Church parish priest Fr. Ramon Aldana for using the church premises as his base for selling shabu.

Latija, a Batang City Jail gang member, is reportedly one of the sources of illegal drugs in Tondo. "He probably thought that he was immune from arrest while inside the church premises," Espino said.

After receiving the priest’s complaints, Espino tasked his men to undertake surveillance of the activities of Latija. "For three days, we monitored the movement of the suspect and we verified that the priest’s information was positive, so a buy-bust operation was set-up," Espino said.

Latija was nabbed by anti-narcotics operatives after he received marked money from a poseur-buyer who bought two sachets of shabu from him.

During investigation, Latija admitted peddling shabu to support his pregnant wife. He said he chose the church premises as convenient cover for his illegal activities since "no one will suspect that selling of shabu is going on right in the church compound."

Charges of violation of the anti-drugs law were filed against the suspect. — Nestor Etolle