GUAGUA, Pampanga- The leader of a group pushing illegal drugs and manufacturing counterfeit medicines was arrested by the police in a buybust operation at about 5 p.m. Monday in his residence in Barangay Sto. Cristo here.
Provincial police director Senior Supt. Oscar Albayalde said agents from the Pampanga police intelligence branch and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) conducted the buy-bust operation that led to the arrest of suspect Carmelino Bartolo, 48.
Albayalde said the suspect heads the Bartolo group known to be a major drug pusher and manufacturer of counterfeit drugs. Bartolo was also implicated in the murder of one Ronel Manalansan in this town, he added.
The police recovered from Bartolo 190 pieces of branded Nubain drugs, 438 pieces of generic Nubain drugs estimated to cost P44,700, significant volumes of expired assorted drugs, and a marked one-thousand peso bill.
The drugs were being examined yesterday at the police laboratory in Camp Olivas in the City of San Fernando.
Albayalde said Bartolo was charged with violating the Dangerous Drugs Act and that more charges are being contemplated against him.
