Female Illegal Drugs Group Member Arrested in La Union

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union – A high- value target, an alleged member of the Sombrero Drug Group, was arrested by joint elements of the Ilocos regional office of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency
(PDEA) and the Philippine National Police during a buy-bust operation at Barangay Parian here in the early morning hours last Friday.

Bismark Bengwayan, PDEA information officer, identified the suspect as Gerlie O. Madenilla, 28, also known “Gelai,” from the village of Sevilla this city.

Bengwayan said that the suspect, accompanied by her boyfriend and several high school friends, was headed to a night bar for a drinking session. Madenilla was to transact business in another section of the bar, with an asset, who was actually an intelligence anti-narcotics agent.

It was learned that the suspect’s boyfriend, who was not identified by name, was not included in the operation and was not arrested.

Seized from Madenilla were a heat-sealed sachet of the banned methampethamine hydrochloride or shabu, a P1,000.00 bill (buy-bust money), and a cellphone.

“This suspect, a seller of the group, has been under surveillance for several days,” Bengwayan added, referring to the Sombrero Drug Group.

Madenilla is now in jail custody of the  PDEA regional office at the village of Carlatan here for the proper filling of criminal cases against her for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.