MANILA -- Seven persons, including a government doctor, were arrested in a buy-bust operation in Mandaluyong City early Thursday.
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director General Aaron Aquino identified the suspects as Vanjoe Rufo de Guzman, a medical officer from the Department of Health; Francis Gerald Pabunan Fajardo, alias Rain, an event organizer; Keanu Andrea Flores, a varsity lawn tennis player; Mohammad Abdullah Duga, Michael Melegrito Tan, Mohammad Arafa Morsy, and Mark Adrianne Reyes Echauz.
Aquino said at around 12:10 a.m., joint elements of Special Enforcement Service (PDEA-SES) under Director Levi S. Ortiz and Mandaluyong City Police Office conducted a buy-bust operation in JK Tower III, Burbank California Garden Square Condominium, in Barangay Highway Hills.
Based on the report, de Guzman, uses his own unit as a drug den. Instead of sniffing shabu, the arrested suspects inject shabu in liquid form into their system.
The operating team confiscated one big knot-tied transparent plastic containing suspected shabu, weighing approximately 50 grams, worth PHP340,000; one transparent plastic sachet containing shabu residue; six transparent plastic sachets; five bottles containing liquid substance suspected to be ecstasy, weighing approximately 200 ml worth PHP30,000; and assorted drug paraphernalia, including syringes.
De Guzman will face charges for violation of Section 5 (Sale of Dangerous Drugs), Section 6 (Maintenance of a Drug Den), Section 11 (Possession of Dangerous Drugs) and Section 12 (Possession of Drug Paraphernalia), Article II of Republic Act 9165, or The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, while the rest will be charged for violation of Section 7 (Visitors of a Drug Den). (PNA)
