Twelve policemen and five “assets” were intercepted by authorities in Barangay Tarcan, Baliuag, Bulacan Wednesday while transporting 10 kilos of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu.
The 12 policemen, according to reports, are detailed at the anti-narcotics unit of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO). A suspected big time illegal drugs trafficker is believed to be among those arrested by joint operatives from the Regional Special Operations Group and Bulacan police.
The suspects were identified by authorities here as Inspector Johnny Garcia, of the NCRPO Regional Anti-Illegal Drugs Task Force; PO2 Benjamin Jutie; PO1 Richard Borres; PO3 Hector Hernandez; PO2 Ronald Carlet; SPO2 Corina Cunanan Angeles; PO3 Jomar Manaol and PO2 Jeffrey de la Fuerta.
Others arrested were PO2 Narciso Sila Iton; PO3 Isidro Alvarez Guinza; PO2 Buenaventura Esmade Felicitas Jr.; and PO1 Abner Salladin Ahmad.
The civilians were Michael Lim, a suspected illegal drugs trafficker and included in the list of target personalities of the NCRPO-RAID; Rodel de Borja; Boyet Cunanan Angeles; Wilkin John Valenzuela and Mary Jan Alfonso Gomez, all “assets” of said unit.
Lim was arrested by the same unit during previous anti-illegal drugs operations somewhere in Quezon City. He is allegedly responsible behind the distribution of shabu within Metro Manila and adjacent areas in Cenrtral Luzon.
Acting Central Luzon police director Chief Supt. Aaron Aquino however said the suspects were released pending results of the investigation being conducted by the PNP-Internal Affairs Service in Camp Crame.
Aquino said the suspects were on board different vehicles including a van and a unlicensed SUV on convoy when intercepted by RSOG operatives past 9 a.m. in Barangay Tarcan, Baliuag, Bulacan. He said the suspects voluntarily yielded their firearms.
After further check, Aquino said RSOG operatives discovered 10 pieces of zipper bags containing suspected shabu weighing approximately 9.5 kilos with estimated street value of P800 million.
Senior Supt. Manuel Lukban, chief of the NCRPO Intelligence Division, admitted it was a legitimate police operation covered with an “operations plan” and coordination documents.
Aquino however said he ordered the disarming of all policemen and had them handcuffed. He also ordered the seizure of the illegal drugs found inside the vehicle. He also placed under police custody the vehicles used by the suspects.
The seized items were brought to crime laboratory for custody.