3 caught selling shabu in front of church

MANILA, Philippines — Three people were caught in a drug bust in front of the Sto. Domingo Church in Quezon City yesterday.

Police officers were able to buy P1,000 worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu from Margarita Moreno, 31; Ronald Dellona, 39, and Remuel Gonzales, 43, at around 6:30 a.m.

Around 30 grams of shabu valued at P204,000, a .22 caliber revolver and bullets were confiscated from the three suspects.

In another part of Quezon City, Jerramy Marcelo and Jazel Guitera, 30, were arrested for carrying P170,000 worth of shabu in front of a mall in Barangay Novaliches Proper at around 8:30 p.m. Friday.

The Quezon City police’s anti-narcotics unit also arrested Rowena Reyes, 51; Elmer Jaromay, 32, and Danilo Tindugan, 43, after they sold P110,000 worth of shabu in a sting in Barangay Bagong Silang, Caloocan City at around 3:20 p.m. Friday.

Shabu worth P680,000 were seized from the suspects.

In Pasay City, Gerald Punzalan was wounded when he allegedly shot it out with police officers during a drug sting before dawn yesterday.

Aside from Punzalan, Michael Borja, 26, and Richard dela Cruz, 28, were also arrested during the sting.

Police said Punzalan, the subject of the operation and whose name is on the city’s drug watchlist, suffered a wound on his finger.

Two sachets containing 4.6 grams of shabu valued at P31,280, a revolver, six bullets, two bullet casings, a holster and P1,000 marked money were seized from the suspects.

All the suspects face charges of violating Republic Act 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.