Quezon City cops raid 24-hour shabu 'tiangge'

MANILA, Philippines - The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) arrested 10 alleged drug peddlers during a raid of a round-the-clock shabu “tiangge” or flea market in Barangay Damayan last Thursday.

QCPD director Chief Superintendent Elmo San Diego instructed anti-narcotics policemen to conduct the operation following reports of rampant selling of illegal drugs along Alhambra Street.

“It functions like a tiangge with the peddlers there operating 24/7,” Senior Inspector Jaime Armenta told reporters in an interview. 

Police Officer 3 Jeffrey Flores said based on surveillance reports, the drug peddlers line up on the sidewalk, keeping an eye on prospective buyers.

“Once they see a person who appears to be a drug addict or is someone they are familiar with, they would immediately approach to offer their goods,” he said.

The arrested suspects were identified as Dennis Erono, 31; Larry Najarilla, 48; Benedict Claycay, 42; Ronnie Villafranca, 40; Ariel Cristobal, 28; Manny Propeta, 30; Rheinwald Ignacio, 32; Antonio Guillermo, 46, Raymond Eleveran, 41, and Marlon Salvado, 36.

The suspects are reportedly henchmen of a certain Macoy Pabilando, who is said to be the “big boss” of illegal drug operations in the area, police said. Armenta said Pabilando eluded arrest during the raid.

Armenta said each sachet of shabu is sold at P300 at the Barangay Damayan shabu tiangge.

Policemen found five sachets of shabu in the possession of the arrested suspects and several shabu paraphernalia.