By Jennifer P. Rendon
Two persons were arrested for alleged possession of PHP200,000 worth of shabu during a police anti-drugs operation late evening of January 9, 2021 in City Proper district, Iloilo City.
Police identified the suspects as Raymond Baticos, 38, and Janemar Roma, 33, both residents of Barangay Concepcion, City Proper.
Baticos claimed to be a supervisor of a burger chain while Roma worked at a laundry shop and water refilling station.
Members of the Regional Police Drug Enforcement Unit 6 (RPDEU-6) and Iloilo City Police Station 1 collared the suspects 10:40PM Saturday at Barangay Gen. Hughes.
Police operatives offered to buy PHP19,000 worth of shabu from Roma who then called Baticos, his alleged supplier, to join him in the trade.
Recovered from their possession were sachets of suspected shabu, PHP19,000 marked money, a black pouch, disposable lighter, 2 mobile phones, an identification card, and a motorcycle.
Operatives pegged the estimated value of seized shabu at PHP200,000.
Baticos was in tears as he denied dabbling in the illegal drug trade. He claimed that he was at Gen. Hughes Street when motorcycle-riding police operatives tailed him.
He was allegedly made to stop and arrested.
But both suspects admitted to knowing each other.
Baticos asked police operatives to release him because he was innocent.
While Baticos was wailing, Roma maintained his composure and silence. They both admitted, though, that they were arrested for previous offenses.
Baticos admitted he was detained for several days because of a theft complaint.
Roma was arrested in 2015 after he was accused of visiting a drug den. But he claimed that the case against him was dismissed.
The two suspects are now detained and will be charged for violation of Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002).
