MANILA, Philippines - Former adult film star Sabrina M was arrested during a bust at her home, which was supposedly being used as a drug den, in Quezon City on Sunday night.
Karen Pallasigue, 36, was nabbed in her home on Pulangui street in Napocor Village, Barangay Pasong Tamo just before midnight.
Police officers also arrested Erwin San Martin, 29, and Edwin Coloma, 38, who were reportedly caught using drugs in Pallasigue’s house.
The lawmen were reportedly able to buy a “medium” sachet of shabu for P6,000 from Pallasigue after a few weeks of surveillance, said Senior Superintendent Guillermo Eleazar, Quezon City Police District (QCPD) director.
A surveillance video presented by the QCPD showed Pallasigue using shabu on the night of her arrest.
Seized from the suspects were a medium sachet and three small sachets of shabu, various drug paraphernalia, P4,000 marked money and P3,280 in cash.
Eleazar said it is possible that Pallasigue has other celebrities as clients, but this and her source of illegal drugs are still under investigation.
Police are also investigating if the suspects are part of a larger drug syndicate.
Pallasigue, categorized as a mid-to-high value target by the police, has been very cooperative in sharing information, the QCPD chief added.
This is the first “celebrity” arrest of the QCPD, following the apprehension of Lea Salonga’s half-brother, Philip, along with two others during a sting for Ecstasy tablets and party drugs earlier this month.
“Right now no celebrity has heeded our call (to surrender) and now the instruction of our regional director is to conduct case buildup and operation,” Eleazar said.
Meanwhile, also in Quezon City, drug suspect Marcelo Costo, 42, was killed after he allegedly shot at police officers during a sting in Sitio Warayan at around 1 a.m. yesterday.
He reportedly approached the lawmen and asked them if they wanted to buy shabu.
Costo’s brother, Jonie, 36, and three others – April Rosales, 23; Reyel Rosales, 24, and Gerald Joseph Mores, 23 – were reportedly caught using shabu nearby.