PDEA arrests 5 in Roxas City drug den raid

By Felipe V. Celino

ROXAS CITY, Capiz — Five people were arrested by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency on Saturday afternoon, Sept. 5, during an operation at an alleged drug den on Railway Street, Barangay Punta Tabuc, Roxas City.

Authorities identified the suspects as Lepry Balgos, 44, of Sublangon, Pontevedra, the target of the operation; his son, Jun Alfred Balgos, 23; Brent Vaccarro, 33; Ajessie Dela Cruz Nesario, 47; and Kenneth Aller De Martin, 37.

Vaccarro and Nesario are residents of Railway Street, Barangay Punta Tabuc, while De Martin is from Barangay Milibili, Roxas City.

Operatives recovered six plastic sachets containing suspected shabu, drug paraphernalia, PHP 1,000 in buy-bust money, and other items.

Vaccarro said he was about to pay the rent for his room when the operatives arrived and arrested them.

He denied knowing the four other suspects and said he had no knowledge of the recovered items.

PDEA-Capiz said the operation followed about a month of surveillance and monitoring.

Authorities estimated the street value of the seized suspected illegal drugs at PHP 100,000.

The suspects remained in the custody of PDEA-Capiz pending the filing of charges for alleged violations of Republic Act No. 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

RA 9165 prohibits, among other offenses, the possession and sale of dangerous drugs and the maintenance of a den where dangerous drugs are used or sold.