Caloocan cop, cousin nabbed for drug trafficking
AGENTS of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Thursday afternoon arrested a Caloocan City policeman and his pal for conspiring to sell some 500 grams of shabu worth P3.4 million to an undercover officer, PDEA chair, Director General Wilkins M. Villanueva said yesterday.
Arrested during the buy-bust operation in front of the National Book Store along Zabarte Road in Almar, Barangay 172, Caloocan City were 30-year-old Corporal Mark Jefferson Lopez of the Caloocan City Police Sub-Station 13 and his cousin John Lester Lopez.
Villanueva said the duo are now being investigated at the PDEA national headquarters in Quezon City and will be facing non-bailable charges for sale and possession of prohibited drugs under Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Recovered from the possession of the duo 5 p.m. Thursday were three heat-sealed plastic sachets containing the so-called “poor man’s cocaine” valued at P3.4 million, P300,000 worth of buy-bust money topped by several marked bills and two pistols.
According to Villanueva, members of the PDEA National Capital Region Office led by Intelligence Agent Marvin Mendozo also seized a Philippine National Police (PNP)-issued caliber 9mm Glock semi-automatic pistol, a magazine, 19 live 9mm ammunition, a PNP identification card and two mobile phones from the possession of the Caloocan City policeman who resides at PNP Compound in Samson Road.
On the other hand, Lopez, a resident of 818 Bagong Silang, Caloocan City was found in possession of a cal. .45 pistol with a magazine containing seven bullets and a cell phone.
All three mobile phones will be subjected to a forensic examination to determine other contacts of the duo.
Northern Police District director, Brigadier Gen. Ulysses G. Cruz ordered the administrative relief of all officers and men of the Caloocan City Police Sub-Station 3 in the aftermath of the arrest of Lopez.
The official said the commander, assistant commander, shift supervisor and other members of the sub-station were also disarmed and placed under camp restriction pending an in-depth investigation he ordered.
Cruz said the investigation will cover the current and previous assignments of the arrested policeman.
“We do not condone the wrongdoings and irregularities of our erring personnel. I will assure the public that they will feel and face the full force of the law,” Cruz said.
