Cops raid shabu ‘mini-tiangge’ in Parañaque

Police raided what appeared to be a small-scale shabu “tiangge (flea market)” in Parañaque City Thursday afternoon and arrested eight alleged drug peddlers, including a policeman.

The lawman was identified as Police Officer 3 Pedro  Matanadac, 32, of the National Capital Region Police Office – Regional Special Action Unit (NCRPO-RSAU).

He was collared along with Mark Allen Cueto, 26, a cook; Alvin Samoy, 24; Roderick Albano, 36; Paulino Almendras, 27, a helper who also goes by the name Arnel; Wilfredo Bruce, 25, a driver with the alias Onyok; Maria Cherizza Verona, 22; and Remedios Verona, 43, a manicurist, during the buy-bust operation.

Parañaque City police chief Superintendent Ronald Estilles said 10 heat-sealed plastic sachets of suspected shabu were seized from the suspects.

The raiding team, led by Senior Police Officer 3 Alberto Sangalang, also recovered an M-16 rifle with five magazines containing 99 live bullets, a .45 caliber pistol, a  .25 caliber handgun, and .380 revolver.

Estilles said the operation was conducted at around 5:30 p.m. at a residential compound in San Dionisio Village, UPS 5, Barangay San Isidro.

He said all the suspects will be subjected to a mandatory drug test and physical examination while all evidence gathered have been sent to the Forensic Chemical Division for analysis.

Mayor Florencio Bernabe, in an interview, said the compound appeared to be a shabu tiangge in the making because police also discovered a surveillance camera.

Aside from guns and live ammunition, he said explosives commonly known as claymore mines were also seized in the raid.

“Mukhang malapit na maging shabu tiangge ito (It’s nearly a shabu tiangge). It’s good that our policemen discovered it very early,” Bernabe told The Star.

He commended Estilles and his men for a job well done believing that the operation neutralized the illegal drug activities of a police officer and several other individuals.

Bernabe said aside from the eight suspects, the raiding team also caught some 21 illegal drug users in just one room.

“This is a big catch and a big boost to our anti-illegal drugs campaign here in Parañaque. Our local law enforcers deserve a tap on the shoulder,” he said.

Bernabe, who personally visited the site with Estilles yesterday for an inspection, urged the police to further intensify anti-illegal drug operations in the locality.