House help, two others indicted for drug pushing, possession
House help Christie Diongzon denies involvement in the confiscation of 2.4 kilos of shabu by agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA). She and her two companions, Meralyn Monreal and Eduardo Ramos, were indicted for illegal drug offenses. (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)
THE house help who was arrested on Tuesday during a buy-bust operation by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 7 has been indicted for selling illegal drugs, along with two of her alleged cohorts.
The buy-bust operation inside a subdivision in Barangay Calamba, Cebu City, yielded 2.4 kilos of shabu valued at P15.6 million.
Christie Diongzon, 37, was charged for violating Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Act of 2002, particularly for selling prohibited drugs, before the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office.
On the other hand, Eduardo Ramos, 36, and Meralyn Monreal, 33, were indicted for possession of illegal drugs.
Diongzon and the two other suspects denied the accusations leveled against them.
The fourth suspect, Danny Bao, eluded arrest but was impleaded in the complaint.
When presented before Cebu City Prosecutor Liceria Lofranco-Rabillas, the three arrested suspects opted not to undergo preliminary investigation which could have given them the chance to refute the allegations.
This being so, Rabillas recommended the filing of charges against Diongzon, Ramos and Monreal before the Regional Trial Court. No bail was recommended.
The case against Bao, however, will undergo preliminary investigation since he remains at large.
The three suspects were arrested in a drug bust in Barangay Calamba, Cebu City, at around 6 p.m. last Tuesday.
PDEA-7 Director Yogi Filemon Ruiz said they transacted with Diongzon since last October 2016, but the latter was very careful and would not entertain transactions involving less than 100 grams of shabu.
On Tuesday, Diongzon finally fell into the trap set by the police who ordered 200 grams of shabu from her.
The transaction was made at a house where Diongzon worked as house help at around 6 p.m. The house owners are allegedly living abroad, said Ruiz.
He said the suspects are part of the JB drug group which operates in Barangay Calamba, Cebu City.
He refused to give further details about the drug syndicate, saying they will be conducting follow-up operations against its members.
In another development, 12 persons were arrested by the police in four separate drug operations in Lapu-Lapu City Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning, yielding nearly P500,000 worth of illegal drugs.
Six of the alleged drug personalities were arrested by elements of the City Intelligence Branch (CIB) of Lapu-Lapu City police led by Senior Insp. Joey Bicoy in two separate operations yesterday.
At around 7:40 a.m. in Sitio Soong, Barangay Mactan, the drug operation resulted in the arrest of Edwin Yarag, 34; Allan Igot Jr., 22; and Gilbert Icot, 25. Another suspect identified as Anthony Paquibot eluded arrest.
Police confiscated four medium plastic packs believed to contain shabu worth P400,000, a fake bundle of money wrapped in a P1,000 bill and P3,000 cash believed to be proceeds of selling illegal drugs.
Later in the day, another team conducted buy-bust operation in another area of the same sitio which led to the arrest of Ariel Aying, 25, and his alleged cohorts Christian Ugsang, 25, and Dennis Aying, 33.
Police seized packets of suspected shabu worth P15,000; P1,300 cash; P300 marked money from Ariel Aying; one small packet of shabu and .22 caliber pistol with five bullets from Ugsang; and two small sachets of shabu from Dennis Aying.
Last Wednesday afternoon, Marigondon police led by Senior Insp. Alcon Escusora conducted buy-bust operation at Sitio Ibabao, Barangay Basak, and arrested Valeria Puza, 63, and her alleged cohort Marlon Puza, 30, and confiscated 11 sachets of suspected shabu.
Two other persons present during the buy-bust operation were also arrested after police found them in possession of a small sachet of suspected shabu each. They were identified as Paolo Anores, 22, and Mirasol Puza, 40.
Another drug operation by the Pusok police led by Chief Insp. Wayne Magbanua resulted in the arrest of two drug peddlers in Sitio Ibabao, Barangay Pusok, yesterday, identified as Ronald Ycong, 45, and Armelyn Babaylo, 21.
Police seized small sachets of shabu worth P18,000 from Ycong and drug paraphernalia from Babaylo.
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