Para±aque city: Five suspects, including two high-value individuals (HVIs), were arrested in anti-drug operations in Para±aque City early Tuesday, with authorities confiscating PHP3.2 million worth of suspected illegal drugs.
According to Philippines News Agency, Southern Police District (SPD) acting director Brig. Gen. Randy Arceo stated that alias Christian, 28, and Symon, 29, both HVIs; along with Renmer, 26, Jackylyn, 21, and Christine, 26, all classified as street-level individuals (SLIs), were arrested during a buy-bust operation inside a condominium unit at Pacific Coast Plaza in Barangay Tambo around 5:10 a.m.
Arceo reported that SPD operatives seized from the suspects 200 grams of suspected ketamine valued at PHP1.1 million; 1,000 grams of suspected marijuana kush worth PHP700,000; 500 grams of suspected dried marijuana leaves valued at PHP60,000; and 791 pieces of suspected ecstasy tablets with an estimated worth of PHP1.34 million, for a total street value of PHP3.20 million.
Additional items recovered included the PHP2,000 buy-bust money, a weighing scale, a storage box, and a cellular phone believed to have been used in the drug trade.
National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Maj. Gen. Anthony Aberin emphasized the police force's commitment to tackling the proliferation of illegal drugs. He stated that the NCRPO, under the guidance of the Chief of the Philippine National Police Gen. Nicolas Torre III, aims to ensure every operation is swift, systematic, and responsive to curtail the drug threat and maintain public safety.
The suspects are currently under police custody and are facing charges for violating Sections 5 and 11, Article II of Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002) before the Para±aque City Prosecutor's Office.
Meanwhile, Aberin also noted a decrease in focus crimes in Metro Manila by 18.7 percent from Aug. 9 to 16, with murder and carnapping cases showing the most significant decline. During this period, 113 cases were recorded, a reduction of 26 cases or 18.71 percent compared to the 139 incidents in the same period last year.
Focus crimes include offenses against persons, such as murder, homicide, rape, and physical injury, as well as crimes against property, like robbery, theft, carnapping, and motorcycle theft. The data revealed that murder cases fell from 12 to five, homicide from four to two, rape from 20 to 14, physical injuries from nine to eight, carnapping of motor vehicles from four to zero, and carnapping of motorcycles from eight to four. Robbery cases remained at 15, while theft slightly decreased from 67 to 65 cases.
Aberin credited the reduction in crime to increased police visibility, quick response through strategic deployment, and preventive measures like aggressive anti-crime operations targeting fugitives. During the same period, 358 arrests were made, including 138 individuals on the NCRPO's Most Wanted Persons list and 220 listed as Other Wanted Persons. Moreover, PHP9.5 million worth of illegal drugs were seized, and 299 drug suspects were arrested, alongside 503 individuals apprehended for illegal gambling.
