Nurse, pharmacist nabbed over illegal drugs

Two suspected drug personalities were arrested in separate anti-illegal drug operations in Pasig and Quezon cities, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said Thursday.

At a press conference, PDEA chief Director General Aaron Aquino presented the suspects identified as Juan Carlos Reyes Antonio, a licensed pharmacist; and Nilo Manipon Ramirez Jr., a registered nurse.

Aquino said Antonio was arrested at 2:30 a.m. in a hotel in Pasig City.

Seized from Antonio were six sachets of suspected marijuana kush weighing more or less six grams worth P12,000; one sachet of dried marijuana seeds weighing more or less one gram worth P3,000; 20 tables of suspected ecstasy worth P40,000; one capsule of fly high worth P2,500; nine bottles, one glass vial and one plastic container which contains liquid ecstasy; a Security Bank cheque booklet; one mobile phone; one glass bottle containing sterile water; buy-bust money; and other drug paraphernalia.

Meanwhile, Aquino said Ramirez was nabbed during an operation along Kamuning Road, Quezon City at 4:20 a.m.

Confiscated from Ramirez were three sachets of suspected shabu weighing more or less 15 grams worth P102,000; 12 capsules of fly high worth P30,000; five tables of ecstasy worth P10,000; one mobile phone; a Honda BRV vehicle; some buy-bust money; and other drug paraphernalia.

The total value of illegal drugs seized during the two operations were more or less P600,000.

Aquino said the customers of the drug suspects were young professionals.

During the press briefing, Aquino disclosed that, according to the arrested drug suspects, the improvised tooter seized during the operations were allegedly bought from an online shop.

"Bakit sila nagbebenta ng ganyan, ng tooter? Noong una, my operatives do not believe na this kind of improvised drug paraphernalia is being sold in that particular seller, until such time na nakita nga nila na nagbebenta ng improvised drug paraphernalia," Aquino said.

Aquino said he wants the online shop to explain why drug paraphernalia is supposedly being sold in its selling platform, noting that it is a violation of the law.

"I'll just wait their explanation first. Kung ano't ano man ang kalalabasan noon, we will file a case against them," he added. "It was just discovered this morning. Imposible na may pumapasok diyan na hindi nila alam eh."

The PDEA chief said the tooter supposedly costs more or less P2,500. —KBK, GMA News