LA UNION POLICE REPORT

LU PNP-civilian anti-crime program bags 65 suspects

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union  -- Sixty-five persons were arrested here since the start of a new program involving residents to stop crime in this province.

Supt. Julius C. Suriben, city police chief here bared this following recent launching of Proactive Advisories on Crimes, Disaster Alerts and Advocacy Reminders (PACDAAR) and Project BADANG. or Barangays Against Drug Abuse for the New Generation.

Suriben said, following this, officials of barangays here have become more active in reporting illegal activities in their areas which resulted in  arrest of 65 persons.

He said 24 alleged drug pushers, nine involved in robbery, six possessors of illegal firearms, 20 wanted persons and six persons were nabbed for violation of environmental laws from January to April this year.

“About 20 percent  of the submitted BADAC list were already arrested by the City Anti Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group,” reported Suriben.

Senior Supt Ramon Rafael, La Union police director said forging partnerships with stakeholders is what Gov. Manuel C Ortega and Rep. Francisco Emmanuel "Pacoy" Ortega have been emphasizing to maintain the peaceful environment of the province.

During the City Peace and Order and City Anti Drug Abuse Council meeting recently, Ortega commended city police for a job well done noting remarkable zero incidents of shooting and drug related violent incidents. He vowed to provide needs of city police in crime prevention and solution programs.-Myds Supnad

Drug ring member falls in buy-bust

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union  - Anti-narcotics agents arrested a suspected member of a notorious drug ring operating in La Union during a buy-bust operation, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency said.

The PDEA identified the suspect as CeferinoCostales, 56, of Barangay Sagayad here.

PDEA director general Arturo Cacdac said Costales, a member of the Madamme Drug Group, is a target-listed drug personality in the PDEA Regional Office 1 target list.

Cacdac, in a press statement,  said operatives of PDEA in Region 1 arrested Costales in a buy-bust operation at the vicinity of Barangay Central East in Bauang town, conducted last May 20 at around 3 p.m.

Confiscated from Costales were additional two sachets of shabu, an aluminum foil, an improvised tooter, and P100 marked money.

The suspect will be charged for violation of Section 5 (Sale of Dangerous Drugs), Section 11 (Possession of Dangerous Drugs) and Section 12 (Possession of Drug Paraphernalia), Article II of Republic Act 9165, or The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

P91K marijuana taken from man in checkpoint

SANTOL, La Union – Police arrested a suspected drug pusher who tried to transport dried marijuana leaves worth some P91,000 at a checkpoint here in Barangay Mangaan May 23.

Senior Insp. Laurence Ganuelas, Santol police chief, identified the suspect as a certain EmmongPalinas.

Ganuelas said the suspect was intercepted while trying to transport 14 bundles and six bricks of dried Marijuana leaves while on board  a passenger jeepney. He said the suspect is now under police custody. -- Freddie Lazaro

Farmer, minor yield 167 kilos marijuana 

Anti-narcotics operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) arrested at a checkpoint in La Union a farmer and a minor while transporting marijuana.

PDEA director general Arturo Cacdac Jr. identified farmer as Elvin Consulta, 42. Consulta and the other suspect are native residents of LabangTaytay, Esperanza, Masbate and are both residing at Barangay Balbalayang, San Gabriel, La Union.

The PDEA said its operatives and the local police set up a checkpoint at Sitio Padang, Barangay Bumbuneg in San Gabriel shortly after midnight last May 22, after receiving a tip that a red Toyota Innova with several kilos of marijuana will pass by the area.

The operatives chanced upon the suspects carrying a blue plastic bag from a parked Toyota Innova, which fits the description given by the informant.

Confiscated from their possession were 67 dried marijuana bricks and 36 rolls of marijuana wrapped with packaging tape weighing approximately 167 kilos.

Recovered pieces of drug evidence were brought to the laboratory office for analysis, while Consulta is temporarily detained at the PDEA Regional Office 1's jail facility.

Consulta is facing charges for violation of Section 11 (Possession of Dangerous Drugs), Article II of Republic Act 9165, or The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, while the arrested minor was turned over to the San Gabriel Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office.