MANILA — The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) arrested two persons for selling party drugs, including cocaine and liquid ecstasy worth PHP666,000 in a buy-bust operation in a condominium in Mandaluyong City on Thursday evening.
PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino identified the suspected retailer as Lester P. Almalbez, 35, a resident of Unit 410 Princeville Condominium, Mandaluyong City and Herald Peñaflor, 26, the alleged drug supplier.
Aquino said that around 9 p.m. on Thursday, agents of the PDEA-Special Enforcement Service (PDEA-SES) under Director Levi Ortiz arrested Almalbez and Peñaflor following an entrapment operation inside Princeville Condominium that resulted to the confiscation of 1.6 liters of liquid ecstasy placed in 20 bottles of energy drinks with an estimated street value of PHP480,000, 70 pieces of ecstasy tablet worth PHP46,000, and six packs of cocaine worth PHP140,000.
“We cannot discount the possibility that a new variety of ecstasy which is blended with cocaine is doing the rounds in bars and clubs. You could imagine its potency compared to the other mainstream drugs,” Aquino said.
PDEA is presently intensifying its intelligence gathering to arrest unscrupulous elements responsible for this new trend in illegal drug trafficking.
Cases for violation of Section 5 (Sale of Dangerous Drugs), and Section 11 (Possession of Dangerous Drugs), Article II of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, will be filed in court against Almalbez and Peñaflor who are presently under the custody of PDEA-SES. (Christopher Lloyd Caliwan/PNA)
