7 'pushers' nabbed, drug den dismantled in GenSan

GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- A team of anti-drug operatives dismantled an alleged drug den and arrested seven suspected drug pushers in an operation here Wednesday evening.

Naravy Duquiatan, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 12 (Soccsksargen) director, said Thursday the drug den was discovered following an entrapment operation at a house in Barangay Bawing here at about 9:30 p.m.

Duquiatan said the buy-bust operation targeted suspected pusher Rean Makili, who was tagged as the owner and maintainer of the drug den.

She said PDEA-12 elements - -backed by personnel of the city police -- managed to purchase a sachet of suspected shabu worth PHP500 from Makili.

In a subsequent search, she said the operatives recovered several plastic sachets containing about 10 grams of shabu worth PHP68,000, assorted drug paraphernalia, and a PHP500 marked bill used in the buy-bust.

Duquiatan said the operating team also arrested the suspect's six alleged cohorts, who were all residents of the same house. They were identified as Edlyn Telempros, Aileen Telempros, Ricardo Revaja, Franklen Montevalco, Junie Dumadag, and Wilverg Ruiz Bernaldo.

She said the suspects, who are detained at the PDEA-12 lockup here, will be charged with violation of Sections 6 (maintenance of a den), Section 7 (employees and visitors of a den), Section 11 (possession of illegal drugs) and Section 12 (possession of drug paraphernalia), under Article II of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. (PNA)