P408,000 'shabu' seized in QC sting

Photo from QCPD/MANILA BULLETIN
Operatives from the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) Galas Police Station (PS 11) and Payatas Bagong Silangan Police Station (PS 13) confiscated P408,000 worth of "shabu" and arrested four suspects in two separate buy-bust operations in Quezon City on Wednesday, May 31. Lt. Col. Richard Ian Ang, PS 11 commander l, identified the suspects as Mary Grace Pantinople, 37, and Mervin Gelotin,49, of Barangay Silangan, Quezon City. The two suspects were arrested on Peoples Park Quezon Avenue in Barangay Tatalon, Quezon City at around 8:10 a.m. on Wednesday. The PS 11 operatives conducted the entrapment after a concerned citizen tipped off the police about the illegal drug activity of the suspects in the area. A police posed as a buyer and successfully bought P4,000 worth of "shabu" from the suspects, which led to their arrest. They confiscated 30 grams of "shabu" from the suspects with a street value of P204,000, two coin purses, and the buy-bust money. Lt. Col. Roldante Sarmiento, PS 13 commander, identified the suspects as Richard Nataba Perol, 32, and Michael Commendador Durana, 43, both of Barangay Bagong Silangan, Quezon City. The two suspects were arrested inside a house in Barangay Bagong Silangan, Quezon City at around 6:20 p.m. on the same day. Confiscated from the suspects were 30 grams of "shabu" worth P204,000, a black coin purse, and the buy-bust money. The arrested suspects are currently under police custody and will face charges for violation of Republic Act 1965 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Act of 2002. (Hannah Nicol)