Barangay kagawad, 2 others fall in Pangasinan buy-bust

MANILA, Philippines - Authorities dismantled a drug den and arrested three men, including a barangay kagawad, in buy-bust operation in Pangasinan, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said on Thursday.

PDEA Director General Arturo Cacdac Jr. identified the suspects as Roger Rosario, 46, a barangay kagawad, of Camaley, Binmaley, Pangasinan; Rolando Mendoza, 51, of Barangay Gabon, Calasiao, Pangasinan; and Ryan de Vera, 18, a vendor from Sitio Silungan, Bonuan Binloc, Dagupan City, Pangasinan.

Reports said combined elements of PDEA Regional Office 1, Calasiao Police Station and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Dagupan arrested the suspects after they sold methamphetamine hydrochloride, or shabu, to a poseur-buyer inside Mendoza’s house doubling as a drug den in Barangay Gabon, at around 6 p.m. last November 17.

Seized during the operation were 10 pieces of plastic sachets containing what was suspected to be about 50 grams of shabu, a digital weighing scale, a lighter, a pair of scissors, two pieces of rolled aluminum foil and the three P1,000 marked bills that were used as buy-bust money.

Mendoza, Rosario and De Vera will be facing illegal drug raps.