Pubdate: Mon, 16 Aug 2004
Source: Freeman, The (Philippines)
Copyright: 2004 The Freeman
Contact:  http://www.mapinc.org/media/3437
Website: http://www.thefreeman.com
Author: Ryan P. Borinaga
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

NEIGHBORS HELP SUSPECTED DRUG PUSHER ESCAPE COPS

A suspected drug pusher escaped after his neighbors held policemen at
bay in barangay Guadalupe, last Saturday, but the policemen did not
come home empty handed as they were able to arrest to other drug
suspects living nearby.

The raids on the house of each suspect was done by the Criminal
Investigation and Intelligence Branch on the strength of a search
warrant issued by Judge Simeon Dumdum Jr.

The arrested suspects were identified as Renante Barcoma and Herminia
Baculi while the one who escaped was Sofronio Reyes. A total of 25
grams of shabu were confiscated from the houses of the three suspects.

Taken from Barcoma's house were shabu in four packs and drug
paraphernalia while police also found another five packs and drug
paraphernalia in Baculi's house. At Reyes' house were found packs of
shabu and more drug paraphernalia.

CIIB chief Paul Labra said that after they started the raid at about 9
p.m., residents reportedly threw stones at them prompting them to take
cover and call for support from the Mobile Patrol Group. The throwing
of stones stopped after PO2 Joel Cunan fired two warning shots, in
time for the arrival of the back-up policemen.