Law enforcement operatives of the joint Provincial Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force on Tuesday afternoon swooped down on three suspected drug pushers in Tanjay City, Negros Oriental and seized some P70,000 worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu from the suspects.
One of the suspects, a certain Richard Ortega of Poblacion Barangay 9 in Tanjay City, managed to evade arrest during the drug buy-bust and entrapment operation, said Insp. Janelito Marquez, chief of the PAIDSOTF of the Negros Oriental Philippine National Police Office.
The other two suspects, who are now detained, were identified as Anthony Marie Cuevas, 21 years old, and Rico Torres, in his mid-30’s and both residents of Tanjay City.
According to Marquez, two undercover agents posing as buyers transacted with the three suspects around 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at Sitio Opao, Poblacion Barangay 9, close to the residence of Ortega.
As soon as the operatives closed in on the suspects, Ortega managed to flee the area with some law enforcement agencies putting up chase. The suspect still remains at large at press time.
Seized during the buy-bust and entrapment operation were two heat-sealed plastic sachets each containing at least five grams of shabu, with an estimated street value of P35,000 each, and a P500 marked bill on top of “boodle” money, or strips of paper money used for the entrapment operation, were also recovered.
Also recovered by the task force were two newly grown suspected marijuana plants in the front yard of Ortega’s house, close to where the buy-bust operation was held, he added.
The plants were uprooted in the presence of barangay officials, a representative from the Department of Justice and the media.
It was not immediately verified whether the three suspects are in the watch list of suspected personalities engaged in the illegal drugs trade, although initial investigation revealed that Cuevas and Torres claimed innocence and were simply following orders from the at-large Ortega. Both have said they are willing to turn state witness.
The PAIDSOTF is a composite team of operatives from the PNP, the Philippine Enforcement Drug Agency, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and the National Bureau of Investigation, among others.
