19 persons arrested for drugs

MANILA, Philippines — At least 19 suspected pushers and users were arrested in Metro Manila since Monday.

In Caloocan City, two alleged pushers, accused of being accomplices of party drug suppliers, were arrested before dawn yesterday. 

Ronald Santos and John Frederick Wong were caught in a sting along 9th Avenue in Barangay 62 at around 2 a.m., according to Police Officer 1 Jomar Manalo. 

Police reportedly recovered two sachets of suspected shabu, drug paraphernalia, and P300 marked money.

The two were known accomplices of accused party drug suppliers Yuki Rose Shibata and Gillian Claude Villahermosa, who were arrested in a sting at the Monumento Circle Sunday night.

Caloocan police chief Senior Superintendent Jemar Modequillo earlier said the two were known pushers of party drugs in Taguig, Pasay, Makati and Caloocan.

Police reportedly recovered from the two a sachet of suspected shabu with a market value of P8,000, liquid ecstasy stored in two bottles each worth P7,000 and three ecstasy pills  worth P4,500.

In Marikina, Aldrin dela Paz, Orville Taleon and a 16-year-old boy were arrested in a sting that resulted in the seizure of six kilos of dried marijuana leaves with a street value of P200,000.

Reports reaching Chief Superintendent Reynaldo Biay, director of the Eastern Police District (EPD), claim that Dela Paz supplied marijuana in Marikina and neighboring areas.

Rolando Jaime Martinez, 54, was arrested in a sting near his house on B. Mayor street in Malibay, Pasay at around 9 p.m. Monday. 

Two sachets of shabu with a  street value of P1,000 were reportedly confiscated from him.

In Parañaque, eight persons were arrested in separate operations in Barangays San Dionisio and Sto. Niño on Monday night.

Five sachets of shabu and drug paraphernalia were seized from Estanislao Morales, 30; Manuel Corona, 44; Antonio Nolido, 30; Rue Jake Mercado, 29; and Jay Delariarte, 35, after they were caught in a drug session in a house along Tramo 1 in Barangay San Dionisio.

In Barangay Sto. Niño, three sachets of shabu were allegedly recovered from Dexter Barrera, 30; Anthony Jose, 31; and Jeffrey Ramos, 35 in a sting along Pascor Drive in Sta. Agueda Ibayo.

Taguig City police arrested alleged pushers Jocelyn Madriaga, 48, and Ariel Esguerra, 42, in separate stings in Barangays Lower Bicutan and Ususan.

Cops seized three sachets of shabu worth P1,500 from Madriaga and six sachets of the same drug worth P3,500 and drug paraphernalia from Esguerra.

Madriaga admitted that she was selling drugs to provide for her grandchildren, police said.

In Quezon City, Melvin Dacurin, 32; Dominic Cancino, 39; and Joyce Mapa, 28, were arrested in a sting on Monday night.

Six sachets of shabu and P500 marked money were seized from them. –Marc Jayson Cayabyab, Ghio Ong, Emmanuel Tupas