DRUG BUST: PNP OFFICER, 2 MEN HELD

Agents of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF)
have arrested a police officer and two of his men during an
anti-illegal drugs operation involving some 124 kilos of shabu worth
P246 million in San Juan, Ilocos Sur. Reports reaching the Philippine
National Police (PNP) Central Operations Center at Camp Crame, Quezon
City identified the arrested suspects as Chief Inspector Rey Arcangel,
SPO4 Victorio Malabed Jr. and SPO3 William Villanueva, all detailed at
the PNP Maritime Group also based in Camp Crame.

Police authorities said the three were arrested by PAOCTF elements and
Ilocos Sur PNP personnel while on board an L-300 van (PKU-384) at 9
a.m. on the National Highway in Poblacion, San Juan town last Saturday.

Reports added that PAOCTF operatives established a checkpoint on the
highway after they received information that Arcangel's group will be
transporting a big volume of shabu to several dealers in Ilocos Sur
before they will be shipped to Metro Manila.

Two civilian companions of the three arrested policemen, identified as
Pelagio and Joselyn Manuel, both residents of Batac, Ilocos Norte,
were reportedly released by the PNP authorities after undergoing
interrogation.

Reports also said that Director General Panfilo Lacson, PNP chief,
proceeded to the headquarters of the Ilocos Sur PNP Provincial Office
to check the investigation being conducted on the three arrested
policemen as well as possible involvement of other PNP personnel in
the illegal drug trade in the area.

When he returned to Camp Crame later in the afternoon, Lacson took
with him SPO4 Malabed to undergo further investigation.

Shabu

A chief inspector (police major) and two of his men were arrested on
Saturday by operatives of the Ilocos Sur police and Presidential
Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF) in Ilocos Sur and seized from
them some P250 million worth of shabu.

Initial reports reaching Camp Crame Central Operations Center in
Quezon City identified the suspects as Chief Inspector Rey Arcangel,
Senior Police Officer 4 Victorio Malabed Jr. and SPO3 William
Villanueva, all members of the Philippine National Police (PNP)
Maritime Group and assigned to Camp Crame.

Two civilian were also arrested. They were Pelagio Manuel and his
daughter Joselyn.

Police said it was one of the biggest drug haul this year but another
setback to the PNP as all the suspects arrested were policemen.

The three, the reports said, were arrested early Saturday morning in a
checkpoint on the national highway in Poblacion San Juan, Ilocos Sur
while the suspects were on board an L-300 van (PKU-384).

Reports said PAOCTF and Ilocos Sur policemen set up a checkpoint after
they received a tip that this group was able to smuggle into Ilocos
Sur huge quantity of shabu.

Seized from the suspects were some 124 kilos of shabu with an
estimated street value of R250 million.

Reports from the office of Chief Superintendent Enrique Cuadra stated
that the arrested lawmen were whisked to the Ilocos Sur police office
where they were placed under intensive interrogation.

Upon learning of the story, Director-General Panfilo Lacson, PNP
Chief, flew to Ilocos Sur to personally interrogate the arrested
lawmen to determine the mastermind in the proliferation of shabu in
the province.