14 Drug Syndicate Members Fall in Taguig Raid

 Some 14 suspected members of a notorious drug syndicate, including a retired Taguig policeman, were formally charged in court yesterday after they were arrested in a raid by a joint agents of the Taguig City police operatives and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Saturday afternoon in Barangay Ususan, Taguig.

Senior Supt. Arthur Felix Asis, acting Taguig City police chief, identified the arrested suspects as Jun Guevarra, an alias “Ato” and Richard Uriguel alias “Tambe”, both residents of Gen. Luna Street, Barangay Ususan.

A fourth suspect, an alias “Jason” managed to elude arrest. The three were nabbed inside their safehouse on the strength of a search warrant issued by Judge Danilo Cruz of the Pasig Regional Trial Court Branch 152.

Seized from the suspects were an undetermined amount of methamphetamine hydrochloride, better known as “shabu” and marijuana contained in several small heat-sealed plastic sachets and assorted drug paraphernalia.

Eleven others also arrested in the same raid included Eduardo Conido Lapena, 59, a retired policeman; Renaldo Diego Arcadio, 45; Raymond Mabini, 30; Benedicto Diargo Guevarra, 33; Mary Ann Mabao Babon, 18; Renato Varreon Bongal, 36; Bernardo Recinto Mendoza, 37; Gary Cablayan Grengia, 28; Dennis Diaz Partido, 26; and Bernard Erson Reynoso, 38.

Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano lauded the city police led by Asis and the PDEA agents for the feat saying that the raid, which is merely one in a series of successful operations and counting, shows the city leadership’s resolve to fight the drug menace.

She also commended Asis, who succeeded Senior Supt. Tomas Apolinario as city police chief, for continuing the fight against illegal drugs.

She likewise reiterated her administration’s commitment to support PDEA and other law enforcement agencies to solve the drug problem in Taguig.

Asis said he aims to neutralize the Top 10 drug suspects in the city in his first 100 days. He said this was achievable with the continued support of the mayor.

In January this year, the Taguig police also collared 19 drug suspects, including five drug pushers who were on the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) target list.

Among the big names in the narcotics trade that local cops nabbed last year was Elisa “Ely” Tinga, a key member of the notorious Tinga Drug Syndicate.

Elisa, the third most wanted in the police watchlist who was caught in July 2012 in possession of 17 grams or P290,000 worth of shabu, is the wife of Noel Tinga.

Six other suspects arrested in previous drug operations mounted since 1996, namely, Hector, Bernardo, Fernando, Allan Carlos, Alberto and Joel, were all surnamed Tinga, The cases against them allegedly did not prosper because of the influence they wielded at that time.