By Jennifer P. Rendon
Criminal charges were filed against a family of suspected drug peddlers who were arrested in a police anti-narcotics operation April 7, 2022 in City Proper district, Iloilo City.
Lieutenant Colonel Mark Anthony Darroca, Regional Police Drug Enforcement Unit (RPDEU)-6 chief, said that charges against spouses Lourdes Zamora and Patricio Zamora, their daughter Ma. Dulce Zamora, and the latter’s live-in partner, Jake Anatalio, were filed before the Iloilo City Prosecutors Office on April 11.
Lourdes and Ma. Dulce were both charged for violation of Section 5 (Sale, Trading, Administration, Dispensation, Delivery, Distribution and Transportation of Dangerous Drugs) and Section 11 (possession of dangerous drugs) under Article II of Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002).
Patricio and Anatalio were charged for violation of Section 26 (attempt or conspiracy) in relation to Section 5, Article II of RA 9165.
Lourdes alias Nanay, 64, and her daughter Ma. Dulce Zamora, 34, both residents of Zona Uma, Barangay Monica Bluementritt, City Proper allegedly sold a sachet of suspected shabu for P8,000 to a police asset.
Patricio, 66, and Anatalio, 19, a resident of Zone 12, Barangay Calaparan, Molo, Iloilo City, also allegedly conspired during the sale.
The Zamoras were tagged as high value individual (HVI) drug personalities while Anatalio was an alleged street level pusher.
Police recovered from the suspects eight sachets of suspected shabu worth P272,000, the P8,000 buy-bust money, and several non-drug items.
Darroca said it will be up to the court if the Zamoras could still avail of the plea-bargaining agreement since they have been previously convicted for drug-related offenses.
In April 2011, Lourdes was arrested for violation of Section 11 (possession of dangerous drugs) Article II of Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002).
But she was released Aug. 15, 2018 after serving her sentence.
On the other hand, Patricio was arrested in July 2001 and was released December 2013. He is still under probation.
Meanwhile, Dulce was arrested for violation of Section 5 on April 18, 2018. She entered into a plea-bargaining agreement and was released June 2019.
Darroca claimed that the family used their sari-sari store and carinderia or eatery as fronts for their alleged illegal drug trade.
