Jobless couple, businessman among arrested in QC buy-bust operation

A jobless couple and a businessman were among the five drug suspects arrested in a buy-bust operation conducted by operatives of the Novaliches Police Station at a house in Barangay San Bartolome, Quezon City over the weekend.

Police Superintendent Rossel Cejas, commander of the Quezon City Police District Station 4, said that his men initially targeted 30-year-old Michelle Tadeo, alias "Jepay," and her 50-year-old live-in partner, Paolo Ramos.

A certain alias "Salting" was mentioned during Tadeo's prior transaction with the police asset.

It was revealed that 46-year-old Ramil Salting, a businessman who lived a few blocks away from the couple's house, was the one who supplied drugs to Tadeo for years.

At past 7 p.m., Tadeo called the police and informed them that the transaction would take place between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. also on that same day.

Police also learned that Salting would be arriving at the couple's house minutes prior to the scheduled time of the transaction.

Operatives of the Station Drug Enforcement Unit then arrived at past 8 p.m. and positioned themselves in three areas.

While the decoy police along with the asset rubbed elbows with Tadeo's live-in partner inside the house, the two back-up teams were on stand-by outside the compound and near a tricycle terminal respectively.

The trade was consummated at past 11 p.m., a few minutes after Salting's arrival.

The police started arresting the suspects inside the alleged drug den including Tadeo, Ramos, Salting and another male suspect identified as 38-year-old Mark Vincent Olid.

Nine sachets of shabu amounting to P34,000 were seized from the suspects.

Some paraphernalia including a foil with traces of shabu, a lighter and the buy-bust money were also recovered inside the house.

At one point, a loud thud can be heard a few meters away from the house.

Police Senior Inspector Dennis Francisco, chief of the Station Drug Enforcement Unit, said that his men from the other team were chasing another male drug suspect who eluded arrest earlier.

Thirty-two-year-old Novy Lopez was later collared by the unit's team leader Senior Police Officer 1 Mark Lagman who immediately handcuffed him when arrested.

Francisco revealed that Lopez is a newly identified personality in the illegal drug trade. The other four suspects on the other hand are all included in the barangay drug watch list.

"Sila rin ang nagbebenta roon sa lugar. Actually matagal na naming iniikutan ang lugar, kasi dati pang patok na drug den 'yan. Kaso nag-lie low sila matapos makatunog na sinu-surveillance namin ang bahay nina 'Jepay,'" Francisco ended.

All five suspects are now facing charges for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

A separate charge for resisting arrest will be filed against Lopez who attempted to escape during the operation. —DVM/KG, GMA News