Couple nabbed for shabu

CEBU, Philippines - Assorted packets of shabu worth P45,000 were seized from a couple believed to be drug pushers in a buy-bust operation conducted by the Provincial Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operation Task Group Wednesday evening in Barangay Tangke, Talisay City.

Lamberto Nanoy Rivera and his live-in partner, Marivic Abala Padigos, were arrested by operatives at around 8:00p.m.

Aside from one medium packet of shabu worth P500 which was subject of sale, operatives also recovered the P500 marked money, two medium packets worth P500 each, 70 medium packets worth P300, one large packet worth P20,000 and a rectangular glass where the shabu were placed.

The recovered items were submitted to the Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory -7 in Camp Sotero Cabahug for chemical analysis.

Operatives conducted surveillance for a month on the couple before the operation was carried out.

 Insp. Rogelio Amoroso Jr., team leader, said it was Rivera who transacted with the poseur buyer in exchange for P500 which resulted to his arrest.

Padigos was also arrested after operatives recovered shabu in her possession.

In a phone interview, Amoros tagged Rivera as the one selling drugs but said the subject of their operation was Padigos.

There was no resistance during the arrest.

The duo were considered as level two drug pushers who could dispose P200,000 worth of shabu in a week.

Authorities revealed that most of the suspects’ customers were fishermen in the area.

Both are now detained at the Consolacion police stockade.

A case for violation of Section 5 of the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 will be filed against Rivera and a separate case for violation of Section 11 will also be filed against Padigos.— /MIT (FREEMAN)