CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga – An alleged member of an international drug syndicate operating in Central Luzon and nearby provinces was arrested by the police in a drug sting Sunday in Barangay Balite, City of San Fernando, Pampanga.
Police Regional Office 3 director Brigadier General Jose Hidalgo Jr. identified the suspect as Philip Craig Joseph, 53, British national and temporarily residing in Angeles City.
Hidalgo said the suspect’s Filipino cohort identified as Duane Bariso Manuel, 45, of Angeles City was also arrested during the drug bust conducted by joint operatives of the Pampanga Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit, Pampanga Provincial 1st Mobile Force Company and City of San Fernando Police Station.
After confirming with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency about the involvement of Joseph and Manuel in illegal drugs, Hidalgo immediately ordered an entrapment operation to arrest the suspects. The two did not resist arrest when collared by policemen after receiving the Php1,000 marked money from an undercover cop in exchange of a sachet of shabu.
The arresting lawmen immediately conducted a thorough search inside the Honda Civic (WHT-366) car used by the suspects in plying their illegal trade and recovered 12 heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets containing suspected shabu weighing more or less 65 grams with an estimated street value of Php442,000.
Aside from the car, police also seized from the suspects the Php1,000 marked money used in the buy bust, a gray pouch, and a Samsung phone.
The suspects are now detained at the District Jail of City of San Fernando after charges for violation of Section 5 and Section 11 of Republic Act No. 9165 were filed against them in court.
Hidalgo said that continuous operations are being carried out as the Central Luzon police strengthens its efforts to wipe out the proliferation of illegal drugs in order to achieve a drug-free region.
