TWO COPS, 8 OTHERS NABBED FOR DRUG USE

CENTRAL Luzon authorities Tuesday said they have busted the dreaded
Soyangco Gang, a drug trafficking syndicate operating in the region
following the arrest of two policemen and eight civilians during separate
operations recently.

Chief Supt. Oscar Calderon, Central Luzon police director, identified the
policemen as SPO1 Oscar Imperial, detailed at the defunct Police Narcotics
Group and PO3 Francisco Villaruz of the 303rd Bataan Provincial Mobile Group.

According to Calderon, Imperial has gone AWOL since last year and was
tagged as the protector of drug rings in Olongapo City.

Villaruz, meanwhile, was found positive of shabu in violation of the
existing policy of the PNP, according to Calderon.

Calderon added that the arrest of the two policemen is part of the PNP's
campaign against erring members of the organization.

"These are just two members of the so-called PNP scalawags. Right now, our
main concern is our fight against illegal drugs, and we will not spare
anyone kahit na sila ay members of the PNP," Calderon said during a press
conference Tuesday.

Calderon said Villaruz was subjected to further drug tests at the crime
laboratory here and was found positive of drug use. Administrative and
criminal charges had already been filed in court against him, Calderon said.

Imperial, on the other hand, was caught sniffing shabu with two other
civilians in Olongapo City.

Meanwhile, Sr. Supt. Sahiron Salim, Bataan police director, identified the
arrested civilians in various areas in Bataan as Marlon Gatbunton, who
yielded 30 grams of shabu, one .45 caliber pistol, one hand grenade, and 20
pieces of live ammunition for a .45 caliber pistol.

Carmelita Quintero and Fernando Santuyo, who each yielded 5 grams of shabu
and one .38 caliber revolver; Rusty Urbano, .600 grams of shabu; Raymundo
Mendoza, 2.5466 grams of shabu; Romnick dela Cruz and Ronnie Torres, who
yielded seven and nine plastic sachets of dried marijuana respectively;
Arturo Santuyo, 4.6542 grams of shabu; and Elpidio Cruz, 12.1713 grams of
shabu.

Salim said that the arrest of the Soyangco Group was a result of their
sustained campaign against illegal drugs in the towns of Mariveles, Pilar,
Hermosa and Balanga City in Bataan.

Salim added that two more drug syndicates are now the object of their
anti-illegal drugs operations in Bataan with the assistance of the
Philippine Drug Enforcement Authority.

All the suspects, including the two cops, were placed under the custody of
respective police units, as charges of illegal possession of prohibited
drugs are being readied for filing in court against them.