Authorities raid drug den in Pangasinan

BAGUIO CITY , Philippines  – Government forces swooped down on a lair of dreaded drug lords and criminals in a compound in Tondaligan, Dagupan City, arresting 12 suspected drug syndicate members and confiscating shabu, alleged drug money, guns and drug chemicals and paraphernalia.

Agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, police, Philippine Navy and Philippine Army raided what authorities dubbed as “a seriously drug affected Muslim compound” in Bonuan Gueset, Dagupan City, Pangasinan Friday last week, implementing eight separate search warrants in the houses of syndicate members in the compound.

Emely Fama, spokesperson of the PDEA-Cordillera said government agents seized 48 sachets of shabu, estimated at a total of about 20 grams pegged to cost around P250,000; two .38 caliber revolvers, and one .45 caliber pistol with two magazines and 17 live bullets; suspected drug money totaling to P55,727.25; numerous and assorted drug paraphernalia; and suspected drug essential chemicals.

Twelve suspects named Mohammad Sarip, Lennending Sarip, Mohammad Sumangan, Jamal Badio, Acmad Sarip, Anowas Lumina Delna, Ryan Allan Basmala, Salik Buyog Cayongcat, Faizal Sumangan, Asnia Ebra Badio, Dianalan Macabayao and Didato Mamacola Ampuan were rounded up by the authorities.

Fama said three search warrants issued by Judge Marivic Balisi-Umali of Branch 20 in the National Capital Judicial Region in Manila on May 18 were served in the houses of Kanapia Sumangan, Johaira Ampuan, Amina Pinto and Sura Didato, respectively; while another three search warrants issued by Judge Fernando Sagun Jr. of Branch 78 also in Manila on May 14 were effected in the houses of Mamake Pinto, Basser Pinto, Mani Babo and Johnny Saper, respectively.

Suspects tipped off?

Fama, however, lamented that the immense anti-narcotic operation might have been leaked as all the named drug suspects were not around during the raid by drug law enforcement officers from the PDEA Regional Offices – 1, Area Task Group Alpha / Northern Luzon Area Unified Cluster Quick Reaction Force, Cordillera Administrative Region, Special Enforcement Service, Police Regional Office – 1’s Regional Anti-illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group and First Regional Public Safety Management Battalion, Highway Patrol Group 1, Naval Special Operations Unit 2, Pangasinan Police Provincial Office, Dagupan Police Station, and 701st Brigade of the 7th Infantry Division of the Army.

The PDEA is filing cases for violation of Section 11 (possession of dangerous drugs), Section 12 (possession of equipment, instrument, apparatus and other paraphernalia for dangerous drugs), Section 6 (maintenance of a drug den, dive or resort) and Section 7 (employees and visitors of a drug den, dive or resort), all of Republic Act (RA) 9165 (The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002); and violation of RA 8294 (illegal possession of firearm) against the suspects.

Fama said an additional case for violation of Section 15 (use of dangerous drugs) of RA 9165 shall be filed against them if their tests yield positive of shabu use.