Police file charges vs. suspects in Quezon City drug raid

Authorities have filed complaints against four persons who were arrested on Tuesday following a raid on a Quezon City apartment which yielded P225 million worth of shabu.

Filed before the Department of Justice on Wednesday night, the Philippine National Police Anti-Illegal Drugs Group charged the following with possession of dangerous drugs under Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act):

• Eduardo Dario
• Rea May Libiran
• Gemma Rose Codera
• John Rey Bungcasan

Also charged was a certain Mr. Chung, who police said remains at large.

The four suspects then underwent inquest proceedings at the DOJ, which was conducted by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Roseanne Balauag.

It was learned that the suspects requested for the continuation of the proceedings on Thursday because they want to do it in the presence of a private counsel.

Armed with a search warrant, joint elements of the Quezon City Police District, Anti-Illegal Drugs Group, and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency on Tuesday confiscated around 45 kilograms of methampethamine hydrochloride or shabu from a two-storey apartment on Banawe Street in Barangay Manresa, Quezon City.

The raid led to the arrest of the four suspects, who reportedly repacked and distributed shabu to clients in Metro Manila and Calabarzon.

Following the raid, PNP chief Director General Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa pushed for the reimposition of death penalty for those involved in the illegal drug trade.

The death penalty bill is pending before Congress, where allies of President Rodrigo Duterte, a staunch supporter of the measure, hold sizable majority. —KG, GMA News