Taguig cop nabbed for drugs, beating wife

MANILA, Philippines — A Taguig City policeman was arrested Tuesday night in a drug sting shortly after his wife filed a complaint against him on his alleged drug deals and for physically abusing her, an official said yesterday.

Police Officer 1 Jeffrey Amador, 29, was caught in the sting at his apartment in Barangay Central Signal, Southern Police District (SPD) director Chief Superintendent Tomas Apolinario said.

Police recovered five sachets of shabu and a .45 caliber pistol with a magazine and five bullets from Amador, he added.

He said Amador was charged with violating Republic Act 9165, the comprehensive dangerous drugs law, and RA 10591 or the law regulating firearms and ammunition.

Amador will also undergo summary dismissal proceedings, Apolinario said.

SPD’s records showed that Amador was one of the personnel relieved on July 4, 2017 on charges of kidnapping, usurpation of authority and drug and gun charges along with five barangay officials.

The barangay officials – Regie Adrales, Rolly Barcelo, Bobby Tejero, Antonio Bontia, Antonio Bagao and Stephanie Villanueva – remain detained at the Taguig City jail.

Amador’s wife Michelle, 22, filed a case against him before the city prosecutor’s office after she could “no longer withstand” him beating her.

Quoting Michelle, Apolinario said Amador was allegedly hooked on illegal drugs even before he joined the Philippine National Police in 2014.

2 suspects slain

In Manila, two drug suspects were killed since Wednesday.

A man identified only as Ivan was killed in an alleged shootout during a sting in Binondo, Manila on Wednesday night. Ivan allegedly was the subject of an arrest warrant for the killing of Manila Traffic and Parking Bureau official Tranquilino Buelga on April 18.

Adrian Acuzar, who was in the police drug watchlist, was killed in another shootout during a drug sting at the corner of Zapanta and Pag-asa streets in Malate at past midnight yesterday.

‘Drug bar’ searched anew

In Makati City, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) seized 17 sachets of shabu, three sachets of cocaine, a sachet of Kush marijuana and drug paraphernalia at the Time Bar yesterday.

NCRPO director Chief Superintendent Guillermo Eleazar said they visited the bar yesterday after getting a search warrant to explore two vaults in the bar, which they failed to do during last Saturday’s raid.

He said they will file charges of maintaining a drug den gainst the alleged owner of the bar, singer-songwriter Rico Blanco as well as manager Danilo Regino, Cynthia de Ocampo Primero, Ma. Amparo Primero Marcalina, Reyan Gomintong Ladrillo and Burton Joseph Server.

40 more arrested

At least 40 persons were arrested in anti-drug operations all over Metro Manila since Wednesday.

Jefferson Garin, 27; Philip Jason Bacud, 45; Santiago Ching, 38; Rosanna Agullo, 43; and call center agent Bernadette Ching, 27, were arrested in a sting at a house on Orion street in Pasay. Police confiscated P23,000 worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu from them.

Emelito Cabiling, 38, and his brothers Angelito, 39, and Joselito, 43, were arrested in a drug bust in Barangay Holy Spirit, Quezon City on Wednesday along with their companion Edgar Brabante, 33. They yielded six sachets of shabu.

At least 30 others were arrested in other parts of Quezon City.