Two brods, four others nabbed in drug bust

By Felipe V. Celino

ROXAS CITY, Capiz – Two brothers and four others were arrested in a drug buy-bust operation Sunday afternoon, June 19, at Sitio Tunga in Brgy. Tanque here.

Agent 1 Gelly Robins Cataluña, provincial officer of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-Capiz, said they spent a month monitoring Wally Benliro Arcangeles, 51, the main target of the operation, before the bust was conducted.

Cataluña said they did not expect to arrest the five other suspects, more particularly John Lester Acepcion of Brgy. Jumaguicjic here.

Acepcion was also an alleged high value target and drug courier, the PDEA official said.

Cataluña said some individuals are complaining of strangers coming in and out of the house of the Arcangeles brothers which they claimed was a drug den.

The operatives found aluminum foil strips at the back of the house which were allegedly used during “pot sessions” by their clients.

Around 20 grams of suspected shabu valued at P140,000 were recovered.

A gram of said illegal drug is worth P7,000, Cataluna said.

Also arrested in the operation were Wynel Benliro Arcangeles, 51, older brother of Wally; Wyndel Albason Arcangeles, 41, cousin of the Arcangeles brothers which helped in the illegal operation; Ronnie Ubag Baral, 41, of Brgy. Lawaan here; and Korina Bertolo Mantac, 20, of Brgy. Milibili here.

The four were considered drug den visitors.

Mantac admitted she was using illegal drugs, but she decided to stop after she got pregnant.

She knew that her uncle was an alleged drug user, but she could not ascertain if the money given to her came from the illegal drug trade.

The police are currently investigating Acepcion, who was formerly jailed for the same offense, as to where he gets the suspected shabu.

The operation was made possible because of the “Barangay Drug Clearing” (BDC) program of the government.

Charges for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drug Act of 2002 were filed Monday before the City Prosecutors Office against the six suspects who were detained at the Roxas City police station.