Bountiful catch

At least 26 people, four of them Chinese drug traffickers, were rounded up in an intensified anti-criminality campaign waged by elements of the Central Police District (CPD).

Metro Manila police chief Deputy Director General Reynaldo Velasco admitted that without the full support given by Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. to the local police force, the arrests would not have been possible.

"The P50-million logistical support provided by Belmonte for the procurement of mobile patrol units, additional firearms, motorcycle units, vests and explosive and ordinance equipment provided a big boost to the CPD’s capability in maintaining peace and order in Quezon City," Velasco said.

The Chinese drug traffickers were identified as Dy Chin Hu and Yu Go Bun alias Anthony de Leon, both tourists; and businessmen Dexter Tan and Choi Wei Nen. They yielded 550 grams of shabu with an estimated street value of P1 million.

Velasco said the Chinese nationals were arrested during a buy-bust operation conducted by elements of the Special Project Unit (SPU) of the CPD at the parking lot of the SM City in North EDSA last Feb. 26.

Apart from the shabu, the SPU also seized from the suspects a white Mitsubishi L-300 van believed to have been used in the illegal drug trade.

Police filed drug pushing charges against the suspects with the Quezon City prosecutor’s office. They were not allowed to post bail.

The arrested Chinese nationals and the 22 other suspected criminals were presented by Velasco and Belmonte to mediamen at Camp Karingal yesterday. "This goes to show that crime will not prosper once local government officials, like Mayor Belmonte, properly support their local police drive against criminality," Velasco said.

Superintendent Benedicto Lopez, of the Novaliches police station, presented Emmanuel Glomo, 33, who was arrested after his neighbors called up police Hotline 117, the suspect was allegedly terrorizing the neighborhood while armed with a caliber .38 revolver. He was charged with illegal possession of firearms. Suspect Jesus Bacani was arrested for homicide, while Roldan Abaya, Gerardo San Juan, Elmer Pangonilo, Allan Enriquez, Florante Rivera, and Melvin Avilado for holding a drug session. The CPD, under Senior Superintendent Napoleon Castro, also arrested Richard Cabonilla, 27, for cellular phone snatching; Rene Boy Hotar, 23, for robbery hold-up; Rey Balondo for possession of illegal drugs; Rodolfo Caoile, George Alojaminta, Jessie Castillo, and Jesus de la Peña, for illegal possession of firearms; Alberto Alano for cell phone snatching; Henry Nitura, for snatching and Fernando Bitago, Edmund Raca and Rodel Santiago for holding a drug session; Glen Solarez for robbery and illegal possession of a deadly weapon, and Neptali Magaues for murder.

Velasco commended Castro, Albano and the CPD Station commanders involved in a series of successful police operations for a job well done.