2 nabbed in Caloocan drug den

MANILA, Philippines - Northern Police District (NPD) anti-drug agents arrested two drug offenders during a buy-bust at a suspected drug den in Caloocan City Saturday night.

Chief Inspector Jay Esteban Agcaoili, who heads the NPD’s anti-drug unit, identified the suspects as Arly Elemento, 36; and Joseph Dados, 28.

“Elemento yielded a sachet of suspected shabu and the P500 buy-bust money while Dados was caught in the act of sniffing shabu. Another suspect, identified only as alias Utak, a notorious pusher, evaded arrest,” Agcaoili told The STAR.

Last Monday, NPD director Chief Superintendent Samuel Pagdilao Jr., directed Agcaoili to conduct a raid in a vacant lot locally called “Tarimaan” in Barangay 118 in Caloocan City.

Agcaoili said his men monitored Tarimaan for four days and confirmed that the area is used by pushers and drug users as a hideaway, “and many of them are cab drivers.”

Using a rented taxi, Agcaoili and his men conducted an operation in the area and arrested Elemento and Dados.

“The target area is very hard to penetrate, you have to pass through several small alleys before reaching it,” Agcaoili said.

He said while they were arresting the two suspects, Barangay 118 chairman Prolly Bolo and several bystanders intervened.

“Bystanders were shoving our vehicle demanding the release of the suspects. They claimed that we would only extort money from them like what the other police officers did. That, we could not allow to happen,” Agcaoili said.

The timely arrival of the NPD Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team “controlled the situation.”

Sources said Bolo reportedly complained that while he wanted to clear his barangay of illegal drugs, other police officers – allegedly under a certain Major Prangan – allow arrested suspects to go free in exchange for money.

The STAR tried to contact a Major Prangan yesterday at the Caloocan City police Station Anti-Illegal Drugs office but according to a policeman who introduced himself as Police Officer 1 Rolando Madronero, Prangan was no longer at SAID since last month.

Also last Monday, alleged pushers Norberto Buyet, Myra Manansala and Elyray Bondoc were arrested by Agcaoili’s men in Barangay 118.

The three have pending cases before the Caloocan City regional trial court, Police Officer 2 Ariosto Rana said.

Rana said charges are also being prepared for filing yesterday against Elemento and Dados.