Mother-son tandem, 2 others nabbed in PHP 578,000 drug sting

By Jenifer P. Rendon

A mother, her son and two others were arrested in a police anti-illegal drug operation on the evening of Feb. 24 in City Proper, Iloilo City.

Police identified the suspects only as alias Ryan, 32; his mother, alias Mary, 50; and Mary’s live-in partner, alias Mel, 58, all residents of Barangay Villa Anita, City Proper.

Police also apprehended alias Benz, 42, a barker and resident of Barangay Salvacion-Habog-Habog, Molo, Iloilo City.

Members of the Iloilo City Police Office-City Drug Enforcement Unit (ICPO-CDEU), together with the Regional Intelligence Unit 6, the ICPO Special Weapons and Tactics team, and Iloilo City Police Station 7, collared the suspects following a buy-bust operation at Mary’s house.

Confiscated during the operation were nine plastic sachets of suspected shabu and several non-drug items.

Capt. Roque Gimeno III, ICPO-CDEU chief, said the seized drugs weighed around 85 grams with a standard drug price of PHP 578,000.

Gimeno said Ryan and Mary have been reported to be involved in illegal drug pushing for a few years already.

It appeared that they were using their house as a drug den, with Mel assisting clients during pot sessions.

Benz, on the other hand, worked for them as a runner and street-level pusher.

Gimeno said Ryan had a previous drug-related arrest when he was still a minor.

All three other suspects have no prior drug-related cases.

Both Mary and Ryan are Oplan Tokhang surrenderers and are also on the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council watchlist of illegal drug personalities.

Oplan Tokhang was a door-to-door campaign launched under the Duterte administration in 2016 that urged drug users and pushers to surrender to authorities.

The arrested suspects are presently detained and will be charged with violation of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.