Cabanatuan City – – Relaxing or setting up a drug network?
This was the question asked when a group of “friends” from Metro Manila were rounded up in a luxurious resort here.
In a press briefing PSupt Ponciano Zafra disclosed that 8 friends, 6 of them come from Taguig and Pasig Cities, were arrested in a buy bust operation at Nery’s Resort, Barangay Aduas Norte at around 1 AM and confiscated from them 14 sachets of shabu and 3 fully loaded high powered pistols.
In his report to Police Provincial Director PSSupt Danilo Yarra, Zafra named those arrested as Janine Angelica Osorio y Go, 23, of Villa San Juan, Sto. Tomas, Pasig City, Justeen May Gomez y Morales, 22, MLG St. Hagonoy, Pasig City, Carlo De Vera y Catuday, 23, of Lower Bicutan, Taguig City, Brent Garcia y De Guzman, 23, of San Miguel, Taguig City, Jeff Dela Cruz, 23, of San Miguel, Taguig City, Jayson Cabrera y Cauzon, 23, Bautista St. Taguig City, Christian Pascual y Manansala, 27, and Rez Cabantog y Velila, 31, both of Barangay Valenzuela, Sta. Rosa, NE.
Their arrest came when Cabantog was caught selling shabu to a police poseur buyer.
Aside from the illegal drugs confiscated from them, another sachet of marijuana and 3 fully loaded guns – a 9MM Glock 19, a caliber .45 Para Ordnance and a 9MM Colt IV pistol – were also seized.
“We noticed that almost all of them (the 6 from Metro Manila) were 23 years old, but if they came here only to relax, why do they have high caliber pistols? We are still validating if any of them is in the ‘watch list of drug personalities’ or have criminal record”, Zafra said.
In a follow-up with the Sta. Rosa police station, investigators were informed that Cabantog has been known “as a long time pusher” of their town.
“After arresting more than 320 drug personalities, we are focused on stopping the flow of drugs into the city, that’s why we are checking on the background of this group”, added Zafra./Nelson Bolos