P5-million cocaine seized in Tondo drug bust

MANILA, Philippines - Manila police officers seized a kilo of cocaine, with a street value of P5 million, from two suspected pushers during a drug bust in front of a mall in Tondo, Manila Monday.

Superintendent Ernesto Tendero, who heads the Manila Police District Station 2, identified the two suspects as Jolly Sorinao, 36, female, of Signal Village in Taguig City; and Leslie Nab Reyes, 27, male, of Dasmariñas, Cavite.

Tendero said he ordered an entrapment after an informant told them a man was looking for a buyer for cocaine.

Soriano and Reyes were arrested in front of the Tutuban mall at around 9 a.m. Monday when they received marked money from the informant, who posed as a buyer. 

Tendero presented the two suspects to Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim at the city hall yesterday morning.

Last Monday, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) reported it had seized P4.5 million worth of high-grade cocaine in Catarman, Samar.

NBI Director Nestor Mantaring identified the suspect as Dante Palando Ponio, 33, a buy and sell agent, with residential addresses in Riverside, Pasay City, and Barangay Tunasan, Muntinlupa City.

Ponio is facing illegal possession of dangerous drugs under the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 1992, otherwise known as Republic Act 9165.