Drug den dismantled, 6 nabbed in GenSan raid

GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- Anti-drug operatives dismantled an alleged drug den and arrested six people, including a high-value target, in an operation at a village here on Thursday evening.

Naravy Duquiatan, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-12 regional director, said Friday they discovered the drug den during a raid at a house along the corner of Champaca and Naranjita Streets in Barangay Dadiangas West.

Armed with a search warrant, Duquiatan said PDEA-12 operatives and city police personnel stormed the house owned by drug suspect  Christine Madison Chua alias "Mai-Mai" at around 10:05 p.m.

Chua, 31, allegedly maintains the drug den.

During the raid, Duquiatan said the operating team caught several persons in the act of using methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu inside the house.  

The suspects were identified as Charmaine Vallinas, 32, of Saging Street, Barangay Dadiangas South; Galvin Capilitan, 33 of De Vera Street, Barangay Lagao; Jovert Mendoza, 25, San Pedro Extension, Barangay Lagao; and, Ivan Louie Dinopol, 30, of Johnny Ang Subdivision, Barangay Lagao.

Also arrested was Chua's alleged cohort Shirley Lozada, 53, who was listed as a resident of the same house.

Duquiatan the team recovered during the search about 25 grams of suspected shabu worth P170,000, three lighters, an improvised all-weather tooter, stainless scissors, a roll of aluminum foil, three aluminum foil strips, six crumpled aluminum foil strips, a bundle of small empty transparent plastic sachets and a cellular phone.

"(Chua) was considered as a high-value target for maintaining a den," Duquiatan told reporters.

Prior to the operation, she said separate teams from the PDEA and the city police conducted surveillance operations against the suspect for several months.

The official said they eventually confirmed her involvement in the illegal drug trade and her extensive operations.

Citing intelligence reports, she said Chua's customers allegedly included government employees, tricycle drivers and security escorts of some government officials and businessmen.

Chua, who has a pending drug-related case, would be charged with violation of Section 6 or maintenance of a den, under Article II of Republic Act 9165 or the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Additional will be filed against her and the five other suspects, who are all detained at the PDEA-12 lockup here, for violation of Section 7 (employees and visitors of a den), Section 11 (possession of illegal drugs) and Section 12 (possession of drug paraphernalia). (PNA)