By MARTIN A. SADONGDONG
The alleged leader of a gun-for-hire and drug trafficking group and his cohort were arrested by police after they yielded P2.3-million worth of shabu in a buy-bust operation in Caloocan City around 12:15 a.m. yesterday.
Operatives of National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO)’s Regional Drug Enforcement Unit (RDEU) apprehended suspects Rolando Arnaiz, 42, alleged main man of the Roban Valenzuela-Lang Lang Arnaiz gang; and David Montalbo alias Dave, 48. Both are residents of Quezon City.
A report reaching the office of NCRPO Director Guillermo Eleazar said an undercover agent allegedly bought 50 grams of shabu from the suspects worth P100,000 on Tulyahan Road corner Ignacia Road in Barangay Sta. Quiteria, Caloocan City.
After the transaction was completed, the agent signaled to the back-up team to arrest the suspects.
They then searched the suspects’ black Mazda vehicle with plate number ZHT-933 where they found two transparent plastic bags and seven heat-sealed plastic sachets containing suspected shabu.
In total, the confiscated drugs weighed 350 grams with a street value of P2.3 million, the report said.
Police also seized from the suspects two .45-caliber pistols, five magazines and 23 live ammunition.
According to the report, the Roban Valenzuela-Lang Lang Arnaiz gang was responsible for several drug trafficking and gun-for-hire activities in Caloocan, Quezon City, and even in Bulacan province.
Arnaiz was also listed as the top most wanted person of Novaliches Police Station of the Quezon City Police District (PS4-QCPD), the report said.
He has a standing warrant of arrest for murder issued by the Regional Trial Court Branch 85 of Quezon City.
Prior to this, Arnaiz had been the subject of a manhunt operation by the RDEU-NCRPO for one month and it was only this week that the operatives finally gained access to his gang and arranged the transaction.
Arnaiz and Montalbo were brought to the RDEU-NCRPO detention facility for further investigation while the pieces of evidence were sent to the Crime Laboratory for technical examination.
Charges for possession and selling of illegal drugs under the Republic Act (RA) 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act and RA 10591 or the Comprehensive Law on Firearms and Ammunition will be filed against Arnaiz and Montalbo.
