7 caught, P74-K shabu seized in GenSan ‘drug lair’

GENERAL CITY OF SANTOS – Joint drug officers dismantled another suspected drug lair and arrested seven pushers and suspected users during an operation in a village of housing here on Tuesday evening.

Katryn Gaye Abad, information officer for the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Region 12, said on Wednesday that the drug lair was discovered during a trapping around 10:25 p.m. at a house in Purok 27, Yamvill 1, Barangay Mabuhay.

She said that PDEA-12 special enforcement officers, Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani provincial offices, and the No. 4 Town Police Station initiated the operation based on reports of the operation. ‘illegal drug-related activities taking place in the region.

It primarily targeted the alleged drugstore manager identified as Rannie Fernandez aka “Yok-Yok”, 30, who sold a packet of shabu worth PHP 500 to an agent posing as a buyer.

Abad said the team arrested six other people who were found inside the house, who allegedly organized drug sessions.

The other six suspects were identified as Diosdado Gatin, 41; Jean Aligan, 51 years old; Janice Aligan, 25; Jaycris Aligan, 20; Alex Cannillas, 45; and, Victor Bautista, 50, all residents of this town.

Six sachets of suspected shabu weighing approximately 11 grams with an estimated market value of PHP 74,800 and assorted drug paraphernalia used in the sale and consumption of illegal drugs were recovered from the scene.

“Our agents carried out a series of surveillance in the area before the operation and confirmed the illegal drug-related activities,” she told reporters.

PDEA-12 investigators are currently determining the source of the recovered shabu and other possible cohorts of suspects.

Abad said that cases of violation of Article II of Republic Law 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Law of 2002 will be filed against the suspects, who are being held in the PDEA-12 detention center here. (ANP)