BAGUIO CITY — Philippine authorities arrested an alleged “high-value target drug personality,” in an early Tuesday sting that also led to the confiscation of crystal meth (shabu) worth P680,000.
The raid was led by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Pangasinan, Urdaneta City police, and Philippine National Police Drug Enforcement Group -Special Operations Unit 1.
According to PDEA-Region 1 director Joel B. Plaza, 51-year-old Jimmy Andres Pablo from San Manuel, sold a knot-tied transparent plastic containing suspected shabu, weighing more or less 100 grams to an undercover agent.
Authorities also seized from Mr. Pablo an improvised shotgun pistol, four pieces of live ammunition for a 12 gauge shotgun, a mobile phone, a motorcycle, assorted keys, two identification cards, a brown paper bag, a black body bag and several drug paraphernalia, and also the buy-bust money to be presented as evidence of the drug deal during Pablo’s trial for illegal drug sale.
Aside from the drug charges, Mr. Pablo will also be facing illegal firearms possession and violation of the gun ban now in effect because of the upcoming May 2025 elections. — Artemio A. Dumlao
