2 brothers nabbed for P6.8 million shabu

MANILA, Philippines — Anti-narcotics officers confiscated more than one kilo of shabu with an estimated street value of P6.8 million from two brothers during a sting in Port Area, Manila yesterday afternoon.

Hairodin Kasim, 36, a security guard, and his brother Norman Palagoyan, 27, a driver, of Cotabato City, were apprehended shortly after they received the marked money in exchange for 10 packs of shabu, according to Marcial Calubaquib, team leader of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Calabarzon region.

Aside from drugs, PDEA operatives said they recovered from Karim a Moro Islamic Liberation Front idenfication card.

Prior to their arrest, Calubaquib said they were able to close a deal for one kilo of shabu with the suspects.

“They initially agreed to hold the payoff at the Quirino Grandstand,” Calubaquib told The STAR. 

In Quezon City, four suspected drug pushers yielded P462,000 worth of shabu on Tuesday.

Two of the suspects – Billyser Villeta and Rodolfo Viola – were collared in a sting in Barangay Culiat.

Quezon City Police District director Brig. Gen. Ronnie Montejo said they recovered around 60 grams of shabu and 10 grams of marijuana from the suspects.

The suspects also yielded a 9mm pistol, a weighing scale and cell phones.

In Barangay Bahay Toro, siblings Christian Bilason, 23, and Mark Joel, 22, were nabbed after they allegedly sold drugs to a policeman who posed as a buyer.

Five other drug suspects were arrested by police in separate anti-narcotics operations in Pasig, Pasay and Taguig.

The suspects are being held by police on charges of violating Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act. – With Emmanuel Tupas, Ghio Ong, Ralph Edwin Villanueva