6 arrested for P310-M shabu

MANILA, Philippines – Three Chinese and three Filipinos were arrested in three separate drug busts in Metro Manila since Monday night, an official said yesterday.

Sixty-two kilos of shabu or methamphetamine hydrochloride, with an estimated street value of P310 million, were seized from Jose Tan, 29; Rodel Tolica, 25; Ann Liu; Dante Pelana; Walt Navarro and Shengli Cai, said Director Joel Pagdilao, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief. 

“Our goal is to prevent shabu from being used as the source of funds by politicians in the coming elections, that’s why were are intensifying our anti-drugs operations,” he said.

Interior Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento lauded the NCRPO as he ordered Pagdilao to exert more effort to rid Metro Manila of the drug problem.

After two weeks of surveillance, Tan and Tolica were arrested along Greenmeadows Avenue in Barangay Ugong Norte, Quezon City after handing over five kilos of shabu to an undercover police officer just before midnight on Monday.

Tan yielded P5 million in marked money while another 15 kilos of shabu were found in Tolica’s possession, said Chief Inspector Robert Razon, who heads the NCRPO’s anti-illegal drug division.

Two Toyota Fortuners, one white with license number UKI-228 and the other grey with license number ZMW-887, were also confiscated from the suspects, he added.

Tan and Tolica are connected to a drug sting in Magallanes, Makati City two weeks ago, Razon said.

At around 8 a.m. yesterday, the Southern Police District (SPD) anti-drug unit arrested Lui, Pelana and Navarro at the intersection of Roxas Boulevard’s service road and Perla street in Pasay City and seized 10 kilos of shabu, a Toyota Vios with conduction sticker YS 1033 and marked money used in the sting.

Two hours later, another team from the same unit arrested Shengli at Room 419 of the City Plaza Condominium in Binondo, Manila for possession of 32 kilos of shabu.

A green Mitsubishi Lancer (WFX-618) and marked money Shengli received during the bust were confiscated from him.