Baguio cop, 3 others arrested in P136 million shabu sting

BAGUIO CITY —  A police officer in Baguio City and three others were arrested before noon on Tuesday, March 25, in a sting operation that resulted in the seizure of 20 kilograms of crystal meth, packed in vacuum-sealed packaging, at a rented apartment in South China Sea Green Valley Subdivision, Barangay Dontogan, Baguio City.

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Cordillera (PDEA-CAR) Director Derrick Arnold Carreon identified the suspects as: Police Executive Master Sergeant Palmer Nankihid Moling, 45; Mary Ann Teope Ty, 49, a sales master for Korean products, tattoo artist Mark Leonard Laurente Teope and mechanic Adriano Basallo Soriano, 37.

Carreon said the police officer and Teope are live-in partners, the tattoo artist is Ty's niece, and Soriano is their driver.

The haul, inventoried as evidence against the suspects, includes: a vacuum-sealed transparent plastic bag containing 1,000 grams of shabu, which was the subject of the bust, along with 19 more vacuum-sealed plastic bags containing a total of 19,000 grams of shabu; a leather sling bag; a 9mm pistol; identification cards; a Philippine passport; two Android cellphones; a pair of scissors; a brown paper bag; a long wallet; a car key; and a Toyota Fortuner SUV with plate number ABQ 1862. 

All four suspects will face charges for violating Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, Carreon vowed. He added, “This successful anti-drug operation was the result of an intelligence project by PDEA RO-NCR Northern District Office, PDEA RO-NCR RSET2, PDEA RO CAR Baguio City/Benguet Provincial Office, the Cordillera Police Regional Drug Enforcement Unit (RDEU), and the Baguio City police.”

This is the biggest shabu haul so far this year in Baguio City and the Cordillera region, Carreon further confirmed.

Baguio City police director Col. Ruel D. Tagel in a statement said, "The BCPO will not tolerate illegal activities within our ranks. We remain resolute in our dedication to ensuring that those who violate the law are held accountable. This operation delivers a clear message of our determination to uphold public trust and strengthen the professionalism of our police force."   He also underscored the police organization’s “unwavering commitment to maintaining the highest standards of integrity.”

The arrest of an active law enforcement officer underscores the PNP’s unwavering commitment to internal cleansing and upholding the highest standards of integrity within the police force, Tagel stressed.