CABANATUAN CITY – Three suspected drug pushers are now locked in jail after elements of the provincial police’s special reaction team (PSRT) arrested them in a buy-bust operation at a densely populated village here.
Senior Supt. Ricardo Marquez, director of the Nueva Ecija police office (NEPPO) said the arrest of suspects Roberto Lapina, 42; John Paul Dapitan,18 and Paul Alexis Calahi,18, in Purok Uno, Barangay M.S. Garcia this city Tuesday night was part of the sustained campaign against illegal drugs.
A PSRT operative used five marked P100 bills to trap the suspects who turned out to be in the police’s drugs watchlist.
Besides the marked money, also recovered from the suspects were seven sachets of suspected metamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu, six sachets of dried marijuana leaves and materials used in taking the illegal drugs.
Lapina who even tried to escape admitted using shabu but denied selling drugs. The two, on the other hand, claimed they just went to Lapina’s residence to take care of the his fighting cocks.
Police said the shabu which weighs about .24 grams has a street value of P12,000 while the marijuana leaves were worth P260.
Both the suspects and the confiscated items were brought to the PNP Crime Laboratory for testing, Marquez said.
The suspects, police said, are facing charges for violation of Sections 5, 11 and 15 of Republic Act 9165 or Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.
Senior Supt. Ricardo Marquez, director of the Nueva Ecija police office (NEPPO) said the arrest of suspects Roberto Lapina, 42; John Paul Dapitan,18 and Paul Alexis Calahi,18, in Purok Uno, Barangay M.S. Garcia this city Tuesday night was part of the sustained campaign against illegal drugs.
A PSRT operative used five marked P100 bills to trap the suspects who turned out to be in the police’s drugs watchlist.
Besides the marked money, also recovered from the suspects were seven sachets of suspected metamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu, six sachets of dried marijuana leaves and materials used in taking the illegal drugs.
Lapina who even tried to escape admitted using shabu but denied selling drugs. The two, on the other hand, claimed they just went to Lapina’s residence to take care of the his fighting cocks.
Police said the shabu which weighs about .24 grams has a street value of P12,000 while the marijuana leaves were worth P260.
Both the suspects and the confiscated items were brought to the PNP Crime Laboratory for testing, Marquez said.
The suspects, police said, are facing charges for violation of Sections 5, 11 and 15 of Republic Act 9165 or Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.
