8 drug suspects arrested in QC

An alleged drug peddler and seven other drug users were arrested by operatives of the Central Police District (CPD), during a buy-bust operation conducted in a squatter colony in Quezon City at dawn yesterday.

Chief Investigator Roger Bartolome of the CPD Station 2 said that the operation was originally to apprehend suspected drug pusher Rodrigo Gabiola, 43, but resulted in a coincidental capture of the seven others who were in a pot session when Gabiola tried to elude arrest.

Police records showed that poseur-buyer Inspector Dorothy Avanceña attempted to buy P500-worth of shabu from Gabiola around 1:30 a.m. in Barangay San Roque 2, Pag-asa.

After Gabiola received the marked money, Avanceña announced the arrest but the suspect quickly ran towards the interior places of the area. A chase between Gabiola and operatives of CPD-Station 2 ensued.

Gabiola tried to hide in a house where the seven others were in the middle of a pot session.

A policeman succeeded in barging into the house and arrested all eight suspects.

The seven other suspects were identified by the police as Jonathan Vera Cruz, 34, of 28 Salalia St., Proj. 4; Dixie Foronda, 31, of 19 Maskardo St., Proj. 4; Clarita Salipot, 40; Julio Basa, 41; Amalia Basa, 40; Mario Parada, 44; and Ferdinand San Pedro, 28, all of Bgy. San Roque 2.

Seized from them were an improvised shotgun, four live shells of the shotgun, sachets of shabu and drug paraphernalia. – Katherine Adraneda