6 drug suspects using cabs for transactions nabbed in Antipolo

Six suspected drug pushers using taxicabs for their transactions were arrested in Antipolo City in Rizal, GMA News' John Consulta reported on 24 Oras on Thursday.

Antipolo police recovered drug paraphernalia and several sachets of suspected shabu inside a taxi unit during a buy-bust operation.

In a follow-up operation conducted to determine the source of the illegal drugs, police nabbed three suspects and recovered sachets of illegal drugs along with a caliber .45 pistol.

Five men and one woman were arrested in the operations.

Police Superintendent Serafin Petalio II, chief of Antipolo Police, said they conducted the buy-bust operation after receiving information that drug dealers are using taxis to pick up buyers. The modus also allowed them to make transactions in public places while avoiding detection.

Petalio said the taxi driver, Jesus Manalaysay, traveled from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City to Antipolo for the transaction.

"Galing pa ng NAIA at pumunta pa dito sa Antipolo para lang mag-deliver ng droga. Para mas mapadali 'yung mobility nila, paraspas lang tawag nila, eh. Kaliwaan lang, mabilis lang," he said.

Manalaysay denied having any affiliation with the suspects. "Isang beses lang po ako nagamit po," he said.

However, another suspect identified as Romeo Marcial said Manalaysay had been their driver for at least two transactions.

One of the arrested suspects, Daniel Sallan, also turned out to be a taxi driver. "Taxi driver din po ako. Hindi kami nagtutulak, sir, pero gumagamit po ako," he said.

Antipolo police have readied a follow-up operation to arrest the other drug suspects who allegedly made similar dealings with taxi drivers.

"Nakakatakot ito. 'Pag ang driver ng taxi ay lango sa droga or bangag, baka mabangga or ma-rape niya pa y'ung pasahero niya," Petalio said. —Margaret Claire Layug/KBK, GMA News