31 nabbed in drug stings

At least 31 people were arrested in separate drug busts in Metro Manila on Wednesday.

In Quezon City, police arrested 16 persons. Reginaldo Salonga, 32; Ramonito Salonga, 35; and Danielle Joshua Mata, 18, were caught with four sachets of shabu in Maligaya Park Subdivision.

Two sachets of shabu and P200 in marked money were confiscated from John Paul Castro, 23, and Mark Anthony Rodriguez in Barangay Sta. Lucia.

Romel Gugang, 47; Jonathan Dawo; Sixto Mansana, 51; Ruel Cantitay, 51; and Jean Pascual, 47, were arrested in Barangay Gulod and police officers recovered a weighing scale, scissors, clothespins made of bamboo and P500 in marked money. The clothespins were used to hold sachets closed when heat-sealing them, police said.

Ernesto Calugay, 42, was caught with a sachet of shabu following a brief chase in Barangay Batasan Hills.

Ernesto Ronqullo, 38; and Jade Reginio, 38, were arrested with four sachets of shabu in Barangay Holy Spirit.

Peter John Albay, 27; Bernie Beltran, 41; and Jimmy Mercader, 38, were reportedly caught using illegal drugs in a house in Barangay Commonwealth.

Merciditas Fajardo, Amadeo Cubos and Sherwin Go were reportedly trying to hide two sachets of shabu from police officers conducting an anti-illegal gambling operation at Market 3 in Navotas.

In Barangay Longos, Malabon, five sachets of shabu were confiscated from Rosie Canales and Joanna Malilin.

Rommel Verdejo and Jasmin Nolasco were arrested in Barangay 118, Caloocan. Four sachets of shabu were seized from the suspects.

In Valenzuela, Vanessa Orpia and Giovanni Sanares were caught with five sachets of shabu in Barangay Balangkas.

In Pasig, Eric Gamilla, Diana Joy Capco, Maryjane Rom, and Lito Ramos yielded 10 grams of shabu in Barangay San Miguel.

Jonathan Molito, 28; and Leondro Dagami, 37, allegedly sold two sachets of shabu in Las Piñas City.