26 nabbed for drugs in Metro Manila

MANILA, Philippines — At least 26 suspected pushers and users were arrested in various parts of Metro Manila in the past two days.

Twenty-two of them were arrested in Quezon City.

Four of the suspects were caught in separate police operations yesterday, said Quezon City Police District director Chief Superintendent Joselito Esquivel Jr.

In Barangay Tatalon, three persons were caught while in the middle of a drug session at around 4:30 a.m.

Esquivel identified them as Edito Ediza, 59; Elbert Buganan, 38, and Jeffrey Tumali, 41. Two sachets of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu and assorted drug paraphernalia were found in their possession.

Alleged dealer Gaddi Clores, 29, was apprehended in a sting in Barangay Pag-asa at around 3 a.m.

Authorities took Clores into custody after he sold a sachet of shabu to a policeman posing as a drug buyer. Sixteen sachets of shabu and a weighing scale were seized from him.

Meanwhile, 18 more drug suspects were arrested in other law enforcement operations on Monday. Among them are Carlito Jimenez, 47; Emiliano Aguilar, 35; Eladio Felicio Jr., 46, and Samuel Borber, 30.

The four were caught during a sting in Barangay Pasong Putik at around 11:30 p.m. wherein policemen confiscated five sachets of shabu.

In Barangay San Isidro Labrador, police arrested Cyrel Olmilla, 40, in Barangay Sta. Teresita at around 11:30 p.m. for carrying a sachet of shabu.

Thirteen other suspects were caught the same day.

Meanwhile, Marife Oishi, 32; Manuel Bautista, 52, and Rafael Pineda, 43, were arrested in a sting in Marikina City on Monday.

Four sachets of shabu, P500 in cash and assorted drug paraphernalia were found in their possession.

Suspected pusher Pablo Ortega, 19, was arrested in a sting in Pasig City yesterday. Four sachets of shabu and P200 marked money were seized from him.