3 pushers nabbed in GenSan, Koronadal drug busts

GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- Police arrested three target-listed drug personalities in separate buy-bust operations in this city and Koronadal City in South Cotabato on Thursday night.

Maj. Peter Pinalgan, chief of the city police drug enforcement unit, said Friday suspect Leonardo Bajo Jr., 50, was nabbed during an entrapment at his home in Purok 5-New Society, Barangay Apopong at about 8 p.m.

Pinalgan said Bajo, who was on the city police's drug watch list, sold a small sachet of suspected shabu worth PHP500 to a police officer who posed as a buyer.

Another small sachet of shabu was seized from the suspect during a search, he said.

Citing intelligence reports, Pinalgan said Bajo was not only involved in the illegal drug trade but also in cases of robbery-stickups here and in Koronadal City.

"He has been actually going in and out of prison these past years for theft and robbery," he said in an interview.

In Koronadal City, Lt. Col. Joefel Siason, city police director, said they arrested suspects Jay-Ar Binas Flores, 23, and JayJay Vales Escabarte, alias “RR,” 28, in a buy-bust operation in Purok Alegria, Barangay Morales at about midnight.

Recovered from the suspects were two sachets of suspected shabu worth PHP2,000 and a PHP500 marked bill used in the entrapment.

Siason said Flores, a student of a private college in Koronadal City, and Escabarte are known suppliers of shabu among college students in the area.

The three suspects will be charged with violation of Sections 5 and 11 on the selling and possession of dangerous drugs, under Article II of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. (PNA)