3 arrested in Caloocan shabu 'tiangge'

MANILA, Philippines - The Northern Police District (NPD) anti-drug agents arrested an alleged drug pusher and two suspected drug users during a raid on a suspected shabu tiangge (flea market) in Caloocan City Sunday.

NPD director Chief Superintendent Samuel Pagdilao Jr. identified the suspects as Ryan Raquiza, 26; and Edwin Salon, 29, both residents of Barrio Libis Baesa, Caloocan City; and Santy de Vera, 29, a resident of Valenzuela City.

Raquiza is facing charges of drug pushing and possession of illegal drugs at the office of Caloocan City chief prosecutor Elmer Susano. No bail was recommended for him. Salon and De Vera were charged with illegal drug use with P200,000 bail each.

Chief Inspector Jay Agcaoili, NPD anti-illegal drugs division head, said Raquiza, a certain Buknoy de la Cruz and one Sally Reyes are the alleged maintainers of a suspected shabu tiangge in Barrio Libis Baesa. 

Agcaoili alleged that apart from maintaining a shabu den, the suspects used children as couriers and their transactions were done out on the streets.

“A few years back we had arrested Pio Bardaje, a big-time pusher in the area and the illegal drug trade in Libis Baesa stopped and three other notorious pushers replaced Bardaje but we have already got one of them, Raquiza,” Police Officer 2 Ariosto Rana told The STAR yesterday.

Rana said Raquiza’s group is also the supplier of shabu or methamphetamine hydrochloride in a neighboring Valenzuela City barangay bounded by the Tullahan River.

“If their is a buyer at the other side of the river, they only use a sealed can, tie it with a rope and swing it across the river; the payment is also done the same way,” Rana said.

He said pushers also used the river as their escape route when police raided their hideout. The area has a long alley and the pushers have lookouts along the alley to warn them of approaching police officers, Rana said.

Raquiza was arrested in a buy-bust at around 5 p.m. with a sachet of shabu worth P500 while Salon and De Vera were arrested holding a shabu session.

Raquiza admitted to being a pusher but refused to answer more queries. Salon and De Vera also admitted to being users.

Asked whether a shabu tiangge exists in Barrio Libis Baesa, the suspects refused to answer.