Four people, including an alleged big-time drug pusher, were arrested while illegal drugs with an estimated street value of PHP158,400 were seized in separate anti-drug operations in the Zamboanga region on Friday.
Brig. Gen. Ronaldo Genaro Ylagan, director of Police Regional Office (PRO) 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula), on Saturday identified the alleged big-time suspect as Aljier Sarmiento, 32.
Ylagan said Sarmiento was arrested in an anti-drug operation by joint policemen and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) operatives in Purok Ipil-Ipil, Barangay Magdaup, Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay at about 1:30 p.m.
Seized from Sarmiento were some 15 grams of suspected shabu worth PHP102,000, three sachets of instant coffee, and 45 pieces of PHP1,000 boodle money topped with one genuine PHP500 bill as marked money.
Ylagan identified the other arrested suspects as Karim Bannister, 21; Ferdinand Javier, 26; and John Lloyd Lumanta, 32.
He said Bannister yielded a gram of suspected shabu worth PHP6,800 and PHP300 marked money, consisting of three PHP100 bills, when arrested in an anti-drug operation in Zone 9C, Barangay Zambowood, this city
at about 6:30 p.m.
Recovered from Javier were some PHP2,000 worth of suspected shabu, a coin purse, and PHP200 marked money when he was arrested in a buy-bust operation in San Pedro Street, Zone 1, Barangay Ayala, this city at about 8:30 p.m.
Meanwhile, Lumanta was found in possession of some 7 grams of suspected shabu worth PHP47,600 when arrested in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Sinaman, Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte at about 9:15 p.m.
Also seized from Lumanta were a PHP500 marked money, a motorcycle, and illegal drug paraphernalia, Ylagan said.
He added that charges for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 would be filed against the four.
Source: Philippines News Agency
