JAEN, Nueva Ecija – A 65-year-old woman and her 33-year-old nephew were arrested by the local police after
they reportedly yielded over P600,000 worth of shabu in a raid in Barangay Sapang here, police reported on Monday.
Chief Inspector Alexander Aurelio, town police chief, said Trinidad Bartolome, a resident of the said village was caught in possession of 23 sachet of metamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu, weighing about 39.44 grams during the raid that was conducted on the strength of a court warrant Saturday morning.
Her relative, Mervin Bulanan, of the same place, on the other hand, allegedly yielded 2.44 grams in one plastic sachet, a digital weighing scale and shabu paraphernalia. Trinidad’s husband, Vergilio, was not around when the raid was conducted, Aurelio said.
The suspects admitted in an interview possession of the suspected shabu but offered different reasons.
Trinidad said she was only asked by someone she would not identify to take care of the substance while Bulanan said he uses and sells shabu “sometimes.” “Hindi arawaraw,” he said.
The operation was hatched by the local police amid whipping from Mayor Santiago Austria. “Iisipin ng mga tao na ako at kayong mga pulis ang nakikinabang sa iligal na droga na ‘yan,” Austria said during the recent flag raising ceremonies, noting reports he received that drug operation is becoming rampant in some areas in town.
Aurelio said charges of illegal possession and selling of illegal drugs have been filed against the suspects at the provincial prosecutors’ office in Cabanatuan City.
