Police trainee, 4 others nabbed in QC anti-drug op

Five people, including a female police trainee, were arrested in an anti-illegal drug operation in Novaliches, Quezon City, GMA News' Cesar Apolinario reported on Balitanghali on Tuesday.

The report identified the trainee as Miguela Fernandez, a criminology student assigned at Station 3 of the Quezon City Police District.

Arrested with Fernandez were two male adult suspects and two female minors. They were arrested by QCPD Station 4 personnel following a raid on home in Barangay Sta. Monica.

Station 4 commander Supt. Mark Young said a certain Angie, also a minor, supplied the drugs to Fernandez.

Young said minors are being used in the illegal drug trade since drug syndicates know the PNP cannot imprison them.

"Itong Criminology student na ito ay OJT ng station 3. Doon naman binabagsak ng Angie, yung minor, ang karamihan ng shabu. Minors halos lahat ng ginagamit nila because precisely hindi naipapakulong yung minor. At saka bihira tayo magduda na yung minor is involved sa illegal drugs," he said.

Authorities recovered two grams of shabu worth P2 million and evidence pointing to Fernandez's conversation with her cousin, Gerald Diquena, who is detained in Bicutan, Taguig, over drug-related charges.

The report said Diquena has been directing Fernandez on how to distribute the illegal drugs despite spending time in jail. Fernandez reportedly deposits the drug money to her cousin's bank account.

Station 4 team leader Sr. Insp. Dennis Francisco said Fernandez's arrest helped them pin Diquena to the illegal drug trade.

"Ang tulong kasi nabuo yung theory, yung connection doon sa loob," Francisco said.

The report said the trainee's arrest also helped QCPD locate a suspected drug den. Nine drug suspects, three of them women, were arrested during follow-up operations. All refused to issue a statement.

The QCPD is coordinating with other government agencies to investigate how Diquena was able to conduct drug transactions despite her detention.  —Joseph Tristan Roxas/KBK, GMA News