Five nabbed in P374K drug sting

By Jennifer P. Rendon

Five persons were arrested in another anti-illegal drug operation in Molo, Iloilo City evening of July 10.

Police identified the suspects as Mary Jane Trongcoso, 37, Lourdes Nietes, 47, and Panfilo Varquez, 57, all of Barangay Boulevard, Molo; Romar Trongcoso, 33, of Bangga Bante, Zaraga, Iloilo; and Kenneth Castro, 39, of Barangay San Pablo, Manapla, Negros Occidental.

Members of the Iloilo City Police Office-City Drug Enforcement Unit (ICPO-CDEU) and Iloilo City Police Station 4 nabbed them at Mary Jane’s rented house in Zone 5, Barangay Boulevard.

Mary Jane, the target of the operation, allegedly sold a sachet of suspected shabu for P12,000.

When they were later arrested, police recovered five more sachets of suspected shabu and other non-drug items.

Lieutenant Colonel Antonio Benitez Jr., CDEU chief, said the seized drugs weighed around 55 grams and were valued at P374,000.

Mary Jane allegedly traded shabu with her live-in partner but the man was not around when police conducted the operation.

The couple sourced their supply from Bacolod City and Barangay Desamparados, Jaro, Iloilo City.

Benitez said the four others are alleged street level pushers.

They were believed to be waiting for their supply from Mary Jane when police arrested the latter.

Except for Varquez, the other four persons had no previous arrest for any offense.

Varquez, who also resides in Bacolod City and a native of Oroquita, Misamis Occidental, is a suspected New People’s Army (NPA) member and had been arrested for rebellion in Bohol.

All five suspects are now detained and will be charged for violation of Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002).