The illegal drug business in Ormoc City is seen to weaken with the capture of one of the country’s notorious drug pushers and seven others in raids of alleged drug dens by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
Arrested was Ricardo Rondina, 47, the most wanted drug pusher on the Region VIII watch list of the PDEA, Ormoc City police director Sr. Supt. Ferdinand Garay reported.
Garay said Rondina dominated the trading of illegal drugs in the western part of Leyte.
The search at the suspect’s house in San Jose village in Ormoc yielded various drug paraphernalia, roughly 88 grams of suspected illegal drugs, a 9-millimeter pistol, several wristwatches that were believed to be exchanged for drugs by customers and cash amounting to P36,735.
Rondina’s common-law wife, Loida Malinao, 32, was also caught with several small sachets of suspected illegal drugs inside her bag. Loida was included in the warrant.
The couple did not deny engaging in the illicit trade, but Rondina denied he owned the five large sachets of suspected drugs also found in his room.
Rondina’s errand boy, Oliver Salvo, 38, was also arrested.
