4 nabbed in drug raid; shabu den in Malipayon demolished
Four taxi drivers were arrested yesterday after policemen raided a drug den or “shabu tiangge” in Brgy. Malipayon, City Proper district in Iloilo City.
Police identified the suspects as Anthony Ian Verde, 30, of Villa Carolina Subd., Arevalo, Iloilo City; Roe Sorcia, 38, of Brgy. Tiolas, San Joaquin, Iloilo; Ricky Osano, 41, of Brgy. de la Paz, Banate, Iloilo; and Kenneth Plomantes, 34, of Brgy. San Jose, San Miguel, Iloilo.
However, operatives did not find shabu or other forms of illegal drugs from their possession, only numerous shabu paraphernalia.
Their arrest shows that some taxi drivers use drugs to help them cope with their strenuous job, operatives said.
Chief Supt. Cipriano Querol Jr., police regional director, said the police team was supposed to only conduct an inspection in the village tagged by authorities as seriously-affected by illegal drugs.
But a day before the inspection, Querol said he received a report from Supt. Delfin Ricohermoso, head of the anti-drug task group, of the existence of “shabu tiangge” in the area.
When the police team came, they found some 20 cubicles in what appeared to be a ramshackle structure.
Drug users could utilize the cubicle during their “pot session” while drug pushers stay at the other side of the wall, which has a small hole where users could insert their cash payment in exchange for shabu.
After the operation, Querol and Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog led in demolishing the area.
A month ago, Querol formed a group tasked to go after the illegal drug operations in Malipayon and its neighboring village, Tanza-Esperanza.
On Tuesday, he appointed Ricohermoso to replace task group commander Supt. Graciano Zapanta.
“He was not proactive. That’s why, I designated Supt. Ricohermoso to lead the interim force that would help curb the illegal drug trade in the area,” Querol said.
Earlier, Ricohermoso was the deputy chief of the 6th Regional Public Safety Battalion.*
