Drug suspects and firearm couriers arrested

FOUR drug suspects and two firearm couriers were separately arrested in the provinces of Kalinga and Benguet over the weekend by Cordilleras Finest.

The drug suspects were on-board two motorcycles coming from Brgy. Buscalan, Tinglayan, Kalinga heading towards Santiago City, Isabela were flagged down at a checkpoint resulting in the confiscation of 6,500 grams of dried Marijuana leaves with an estimated Danegerous Drugs Board value of more or less P812,500.

The drug pushers were identified as Abdul Gafar F. Batuaan; Jonas D. Ang; Andre Gonzalo T Lazada, all single and aged 18 with a minor whose identity was withheld, students and residents of Santiago City, Isabela were arrested in a checkpoint February 17 at Brgy Bangad, Tinglayan by combined personnel of Tinglayan MPS, KPMFC, RIU 14, and PDEA who were in possession of illegal drugs.

Meanwhile, two suspects were separately arrested on the same day for illegal possession of firearms after a concerned citizen reported them to the police.

The first ser of suspects were identified as Peter Dangiwan Chinalpan, 48, a resident of Upper, Pinget, Baguio City and a construction worker who was arrested after he indiscriminately fired his firearm and was caught in possession of assorted firearms placed in a bag at Nazarene Pico, Puguis, La Trinidad, Benguet.

Responding police personnel of La Trinidad MPS and members of the Provincial Public Safety Company (PPSC) confiscated two (2) Colt cal.45, One (1) Shooters Commodore cal.45; One (1) ARMSCOR cal.45; One

(1) Taurus cal.357 magnum; four (4) magazines; and 45 ammunitions, aside from having no pertinent documents to carry and possess the firearm leading to his arrest.

The other suspect identified as Johnson Sawac Tindo, 25, a farmer and a resident of Lam-ayan Bangao, Buguias Benguet was arrested after he was reported by a concerned citizen in possession of a firearm inside the Gold Videoke Bar in Abatan, Buguias, Benguet in the night of the same day.

Responding personnel of Buguias MPS confiscated from his possession a caliber .45 Pistol Caspian Arms Hardwick Vt USA.

All arrested suspects are now under the custody of the concerned operating units while a case for violation of RA 9165 known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drug Act of 2002 and RA 10591 known as Illegal Possession of Firearms was filed against them in court.