Tricycle driver buy busts in Aklan

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

A police buy bust operation netted a 51-year old tricycle driver after he allegedly sold suspected sachets of shabu on August 3.

PHOTO RODNEL AGUIRRE

Ronaldo Villanueva Rose, resident of Pastrana Street in Poblacion, Kalibo, Aklan, was arrested by operatives of Aklan Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit (PDEU) in Aliputos in Numancia at around 4:20 p.m.

Aklan PDEU head Chief Inspector Frensy Andrade said the suspect handed three plastic sachets containing white crystalline substance worth P6,000 to a poseur buyer.

“Dati namonitor ng ating dating operatiba at ipinagpatuloy natin ang operasyon sa suspek. Hindi siya mahalata na nagbebenta dahil sa tricycle driver siya. Pagbigay ng poseur buyer ng pera, nag-kontra senyas tapos dinakip na ang suspek,” he stressed.

Rose, however, denied he engaged in drug peddling and that the alleged evidence was planted against him by the police.  

The suspect said he fetched a passenger for P200 to Barangay Aliputos. On his way home to Kalibo, he was nabbed and handcuffed by the buy-bust team in a sting operation.

“Hindi siya drug surrenderee. Bibili siya ng druga at irecycled, gagamitin at ibebenta niya.  Isa siyang freelancer. Umamin siya na nagbebenta siya ng druga,” Andrade stressed.

After his arrest, Rose was temporarily detained at Numancia municipal police station.   He will be facing charges for violation of Section 5 (selling of illegal drugs) of Republic Act No. 9165 otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Andrade said the operation was also coordinated with the Numancia municipal police station.