By Chito Chavez
Joint operatives of the PDEA Regional Office-National Capital Region (RO-NCR) and the Manila Police District (MPD) arrested 16 suspects and dismantled three drug dens in separate operations in Manila on Wednesday.
The operation was carried out by virtue of search warrants issued by Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 18 issued on March 4.
PDEA RO-NCR Director Joel B. Plaza said the arrested suspects were Nenita Ocampo, 53, drug den maintainer; Rochelle Ocampo, 34, target-listed; Mohamad Hamza, 27; Wencislao Matugina, 60; and Eric Baful, 47.
They were apprehended at 916 Quezon Blvd., Sampaloc, Manila at around 10:00 a.m.
Anti-narcotics agents seized 16 pieces of heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets containing a white crystalline substance suspected to be “shabu” (crystal meth), worth P102,000 and weighing more or less 15 grams.
Another search warrant was served simultaneously at 908 Quezon Blvd., Brgy. 464, Sampaloc, Manila, leading to the arrest of Mark Ocampo, aka Mayor, 23, target-listed; Luis Pelayo Ocampo Jr., 61, target-listed; John Raymart Acano Lindo, 28; Marlon Tawat, 39; and Eddie Gonora Cruz, 35, all residents of Brgy. 464, Sampaloc, Manila.
Confiscated from that residence were 18 pieces of heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets, containing a white crystalline substance suspected to be shabu valued at P136,000 and weighing more or less 20 grams, and other drug paraphernalia.
In a third operation a few blocks away from the two drug dens, at 1030 Quezon Blvd., Brgy. 464, Sampaloc, Manila, the operatives nabbed Felipe Cumigad aka Pepe, 54, target- listed; Juliet Dapdap, alias Dapdap, 48, target-listed; Jake Bautista, 33; Nora Valle, 40; Maria Teresa Pago, 51; and Jayson Mercado, 18.
Anti-narcotics operatives confiscated 11 pieces of heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets, containing a white crystalline substance suspected to be shabu weighing more or less 15 grams with a standard drug price of P102,000, and several drug paraphernalia.
All the arrested drug suspects are now under the custody of the PDEA RO-NCR Detention Facility.
They are now facing criminal charges for violating Section 6, Maintenance of a Drug Den; Section 7, Visitors/Employees of a Drug Den; Section 11, Possession of Dangerous Drugs; and Section 12, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, of Article II of Republic Act No. 9165, otherwise known as The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.