Benguet drug den raid nets four suspects; almost P300K shabu seized
Art Dumlao — January 29, 2025
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La Trinidad, Benguet (January 25, 2025) -- Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-Cordillera agents took four suspects and seized almost P300,000 worth of shabu in a raid Friday early morning in Barangay Ambiong, La Trinidad, Benguet.
The suspects were identified as Ryan Taguiba Tictica, 35, a laborer, from Upper Ambiong, La Trinidad; Jonalph Nagen Salupen, 29, also a laborer from Apugan, Santo Tomas in Baguio City; Martin Joseph Alvior Cortez, 33, a mechanic from Purok 3, also in Ambiong; and housekeeper Maria Cristina Ventura Quinto, 23, from Upper Ambiong, La Trinidad Benguet, were holed in at the house during the court-ordered raid, said PDEA-CAR director Derrick Carreon.
Ten transparent plastic sachets containing more or less 40 grams of suspected shabu with estimated value at P272,000.00; an improvised plastic tooter with traces of white crystalline substance suspected to be shabu; an improvised plastic tooter containing MOL .1 ml of liquid substance suspected to be liquid shabu with estimated standard drug price at P6,262.80; and two opened transparent plastic sachets with traces of white crystalline substance were seized at the raided house, added Carreon.
PDEA placed the total worth of drugs seized to reach P279,262.80.
Carreon added that four open transparent sachets; two pieces of lighter; a pack of unused transparent plastic sachets; three rolled aluminum foils; a transparent improvised tooter; one black weighing scale; three bundled black straws and butane gas canister were also found inside the house where the four were holed in prompting them to believe it was being used as a drug den where supposed “clients” walk-in to take shabu.
The PDEA-CAR chief hailed the persistence of the PDEA operatives led by veteran agents from PDEA-Mountain Province, PDEA-CAR Land Transport Interdiction Unit, PDEA Kalinga, PDEA Baguio-Benguet and with able support from the local police for the success of the raid, perhaps the largest haul of shabu in the highland region this start of 2025.
The four suspects, added Carreon, will be facing charges for violating RA 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002).
