Police nab pal of drug lord Peter Lim in Sorsogon

Reynaldo Diaz aka James Tan, tagged as close associate of top drug lord Peter Lim, was nabbed at Subic Saday Resort in Barangay Calintaan, Matnog town in Sorsogon.

LEGAZPI CITY - A suspected drug dealer identified as Reynaldo Diaz alias "James Tan" fell into the hands of a police raiding team that swooped down on a resort in Sorsogon over the weekend, a report reaching the Police Regional Office in Bicol (PRO-5) showed.

Sr. Insp. Ma. Luisa Calubaquib, PRO-5 spokesperson, said Diaz was with six other gunmen who helped him elude arrest from the police team.

Diaz, whom police tagged as a close associate of top drug lord Peter "Jaguar" Lim, was arrested by the police at Subic Saday Resort in Barangay Calintaan, Matnog town in Sorsogon.

Calubaquib said Diaz, who is facing two complaints for frustrated murder, is included in the drug watchlist of national authorities.

She said Diaz and the six other gunmen claimed to be members of the Department Of Justice' Witness Protection Program Intelligence Service Operations Group.

The six were identified as Raul Relojas, Sandy Odicta, Rodolfo Abapo Jr., Elmer Labay, Charlice Ganosa and Niño Carlo Paraiso.

"They tried to assist Diaz in eluding the police dragnet but the raiding team was quick to collar Diaz as he tried to escape towards the grassy portion of the resort," said Calubaquib.

She said the arresting team presented an arrest warrant when they seized from the suspects ten firearms that included four M16 rifles and six .45-caliber pistols.

The police confiscated magazines and ammunitions for several firearms from the seven suspects.

"There were 14 pieces of magazines for the M16 rifles and 14 pieces of magazines for the .45-cal. as well as 351 pcs. of ammunition for an M165 and 117 pcs. ammunition for the .45-cal. that were seized from the seven suspects," said Calubaquib.

Diaz was presented to Philippine National Police Chief Ronaldo Bato dela Rosa who was at the fluvial procession for the Peñafrancia festival in Naga City.

A day earlier, Dela Rosa graced the celebration of the 115th Police Service Anniversary at PRO5 at its headquarters at Camp Simeon Ola here. [via PNA]