P1.63-M cocaine, shabu confiscated

INFANTA, Quezon — High-grade cocaine and shabu valued at P1.63 million were seized and two couples were arrested during a joint police-military raid in Infanta, Quezon at dawn yesterday.

At Camp Crame, President Arroyo commended Superintendent Roberto Rosales, Quezon police director, for the operation which led to the arrest of suspects Radil Ramos, 39, and his pregnant wife Rosalie, 33, and retired Army staff sergeant Mariano Ortaliza, 48, and his wife Belen, 53.

Police are looking into reports that the suspects’ clients were showbiz personalities.

Confiscated from the suspects were eight heat-sealed plastic bags of cocaine valued at P1.5 million, 44 sachets of shabu worth P130,000, two digital weighing scales and 200 empty plastic sachets.

"They are considered big-time pushers because they were involved in repackaging cocaine and shabu in their makeshift laboratory," Rosales said.

The raiding team, composed of Quezon policemen and elements of the Army’s 59th Infantry Battalion and the Southern Luzon Command, also seized P31,000 cash and caliber .45 and .9mm bullets.

The illegal drug haul is the second biggest in a week. Earlier, 54 kilos of shabu worth P100 million were seized in two houses in Loyola Heights, Quezon City. — Jaime Laude