3 cousins nabbed in shabu session

MANILA, Philippines - Three cousins were arrested while allegedly in the act of sniffing methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu at a suspected drug den in Caloocan City Saturday afternoon.

Police Officer 2 Ariosto Rana, Northern Police District (NPD) anti-illegal drugs division investigator, said that apart from drug use, Benjie Arbis, 31; Lucky Ian Angeles, 27; and Garry Gundayao, 25, were also charged with illegal possession of drug paraphernalia before Caloocan City assistant prosecutor Darwin Canete.

Canete recommended P400,000 bail for each of the suspects.

Rana said the cousins were arrested inside their family compound on Waling-Waling street in Barangay 174, Camarin at around 5 p.m.

“The cousins reportedly allowed other users to hold shabu sessions in their compound, prompting other residents in the area to report the illegal activity to the police,” Rana told The STAR.

Rana said that on Friday, a “complainant” sought the assistance of NPD director Chief Superintendent Samuel Pagdilao Jr., claiming there were frequent shabu sessions at the suspects’ family compound.

Pagdilao tasked Chief Inspector Jay Agcaoili, chief of the NPD anti-illegal drugs division, to raid the area. Police seized from the suspects shabu-sniffing paraphernalia and an empty plastic sachet with traces of the illegal drug, Rana said.

He said the suspects tested positive for shabu, and Angeles and Gundayao also tested positive for marijuana.

The suspects are currently detained at the NPD while their transfer to the Caloocan City Jail is still being processed. – Pete Laude