AGENTS of the Philippine National Police Drug Enforcement Group (PNP-DEG) are not only going after ‘high-value targets’ in Metro Manila and the rest of the country but are also seeing to it that they will be able to account for wanted drug offenders to prevent them from returning to their old drug-dealing ways, the Journal Group was told yesterday.
Since last November 10, the PNP-DEG headed by Brigadier General Ronald O. Lee has neutralized a number of ‘HVT’s including members of West African Drug Syndicates and Chinese drug traffickers and their Filipino cohorts.
Since last November to date, PNP-DEG operatives have also accounted for a least 13 drug targets, all covered with warrants of arrest for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, said Lee.
Lee added that the arrest were made in line with their stepped-up efforts to haul to jail most wanted drug personalities as ordered by PNP chief, General Debold M. Sinas.
He said that three of the 11 are most wanted drug dealers who were finally accounted for after years in hiding.
“These arrests are part of our effort to jail most wanted drug personalities in the country in line with our war on drugs and criminality. This will also have a great impact on our anti-criminality campaign as ordered by Gen. Sinas,” said Lee.
He identified the arrested suspects as Dente de la Rosa Jr., the top most wanted person in Trece Martirez City in Cavite; John Edward Medura, the 11th top most wanted person in Calabarzon region residing in Sitio Bukal, Bgy. Tandang Kutyo, Tanay, Rizal; Joseph Roque, the 7th top most wanted person in Bataan residing in Bgy. Palihan in Orani municipality; Eva Talon, a resident of Sitio Damayan, Bgy. Tutay Pinamungahan, Cebu City; Jojo Lim, of Bgy. Ramonal Village, Camaman-an Cagayan de Oro City; Jimmy Hassan Abubakar, Crispar Coronel Faisal and Arl-Bashier Soriano, all residents of Awal Street, Bgy. Poblacion, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi; Edgardo Ajeto a resident of Pabahay 2000, Muzon, San Jose Del Monte City in Bulacan; Joshua Rafael Abrena, a resident of Bgy. Poblacion East, Umingan, Pangasinan; Rommel Omar, of Bgy. Silbatan, El Nido, Palawan; Jomar Estonilo, a resident of Bgy. Poblacion, Binalonan, Pangasinan, and Danny Caballero Pabalate, a resident of Bgy. Patun-an, Calatrava, Negros Occidental.
Lee said that all 13 are the subject of outstanding warrants of arrest for violation of different provisions of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 including sale, possession and use of prohibited drugs.
The official said that Estonillo, a 39-year old mechanic, was traced by his men in a police jail in Pangasinan where he is being held on a rape case last Wednesday.
According to Lee, members of the PNP-DEG Special Operations Unit 1 led by Major Raymond Nicolas served the warrant of arrest for violation of Section 11 or possession of dangerous drugs under RA 9165 issued against the suspect by Judge Gonzalo Marata of the Urdaneta City Regional Trial Court Branch 48 with a P200,000 recommended bail.
The suspect was arrested on October 8 last year for a rape case.
De la Rosa Jr., a 45-year old construction worker, was arrested by DEG-SOU 1 officers in his hiding place in Bgy. Cabezas, Trece Martirez City, Cavite, last Saturday.
The suspect is the subject of a warrant of arrest for violation of RA 9165 issued by Judge Maria Corazon Labrador of the Batac City RTC Branch 18 in Ilocos Norte on September 9, 2019. A P200,000 bail was recommended for the suspect’s temporary freedom.
Omar,43, the subject of a warrant of arrest for violation of RA 9165 issued by Judge Anna Leah Tiongson-Mendoza of the Batac, Roxas RTC Branch 164 in Palawan was arrested by DEG-SOU4 operatives under Lieutenant Colonel Joel Estaris in Bgy. Silbatan, EL Nido, Palawan on Friday.
No bail was recommended for the liberty of the accused who was found to have violated the parole conditions set by the court. It turned out that the suspect tested positive for shabu when subjected to a drug test by the Parole and Probation Office in the province prompting the court to issue the non-bailable warrant for his arrest.
DRIVE VS MARIJUANA
Sinas has also ordered the PNP-DEG to further intensify their drive against marijuana traffickers in Metro Manila, Central Luzon and Calabarzon region by being on the lookout for cannabis dealers from Cordillera region.
Last week, PNP-DEG operatives arrested Erwin Mariano, a 21-year old tricycle driver from Bontoc, Mountain Province after he sold 55 kilograms of dried marijuana leaves to an undercover officer in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija.
Lee said that operatives of the PNP-DEG Special Operations Unit 2 headed by Lt. Col. Nestor Cusi arrested the suspect during a sting in Bgy. Tayabo,San Jose City 5:10 a.m. last Thursday. Two cohorts of the suspect identified only as alias ‘Jayson’ and one alias ‘Sammy Damaso’ are still being hunted as of press time, he said.
An Isuzu dump truck with plate no. NOF-271 used by the suspect to transport the cannabis was impounded by the PNP-DEG.
Lee said his men are still tracking down the two other suspects who are believed to have been the partners of Mariano in delivering a minimum of 50 kilos of marijuana from Cordillera region to Metro Manila and Regions 2 and 3 once or twice a month depending on orders from their clients.
