"Ang mga tao sa Barangay Sto. Niño nagpalakpakan nang makita nila na naaresto namin and isang pamilya ng mga drug pushers," said a member of the raiding team.
Police said Emma Escare, 47, a widow, was listed in the order of battle in the anti-drug drive by officials of Sto. Niño, but had always managed to elude arrest.
Escare was believed to be behind the proliferation of illegal drugs in eastern Metro Manila and nearby towns in Rizal, police said.
After three months of surveillance, a team headed by Superintendent Raul Valencia, head of the anti-drug unit of the Marikina City police, swooped down on Escare’s safehouse located at 471 Munding Avenue, in Sto. Niño at about 6 p.m. last Wednesday.
The raiders were armed with a search warrant issued by Judge Alice Gutierrez, of Marikina RTC Branch 193.
Arrested with Escare were Giovani Escare, 40; Jay-Ar Escare, 25; John de la Cruz, 24; Michael Natividad, 26, and Rommel Mabasa.
Recovered from the suspects were undetermined amount of shabu, dried marijuana leaves and drug paraphernalia and weighing scales.
The illegal drugs were discovered hidden under the mattress of Escare’s bed, Valencia said in his report to Senior Superintendent Manuel Gaerlan, Marikina police chief.
"Family of drug pushers itong mga inaresto, lahat sila tulak ng droga," said SPO1 Jose Castelo Jr.
The suspects did not resist arrest.
When lawmen emerged from the house with the suspects in tow, residents applauded for several minutes, until the six were herded into a waiting police vehicle, Castelo said. — Non Alquitran