CITY OF MALOLOS, Bulacan — A 46-year old former Overseas Filipino worker (OFW) was arrested by the members of the City Station Drug Enforcement Unit (CSDEU) here after having found in her possession suspected illegal drugs approximately worth P748,000 and assorted drug paraphernalia during a buy-bust operation in Brgy. Mojon on Sunday afternoon.
P/Lt. Col. Jacqueline Puapo, Malolos City police chief identified the suspect as Marites Montallana, 46-year-old, married, new tenants in one of the apartments in the said barangay and a native of Olongapo City.
According to Puapo, she sent her SDEU chief P/Chief Master Sergeant Jayson Salvador and his men at around 3:15 a.m. to conduct a buy-bust operation against the suspect after confirming by a police asset that there were illegal drug transactions conducted by the suspect in her newly acquired apartment.
“The drug transactions of suspect Montallana are hugely based on the transaction slip obtained in the remittances so it is considered a big-time supplier of illegal drugs,” Puapo said.
Confiscated by the operating troops from the suspect’s possession were 110 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu with a street value of P748,000.00 in several plastic transparent sachets, a small weighing scale, drugs paraphernalia, and the P1,000 marked money.
According to the suspect, a large amount of shabu came from her supplier, a Muslim, who was dumped on him at a well-known mall in Marikina City, which she allegedly sold to customers in Malolos and some places in Metro Manila.
“The suspect is considered a high-value target based on the extent of her illegal drug transactions and the volume of the recovered shabu,” Puapo said.
Montallana, who is now detained at the City of Malolos detention cell will be charged with violation of sections 5 and 11 or selling and possession of dangerous drugs, under Article II of Republic Act 9165 or the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.