KIDAPAWAN CITY — President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday named an officer-in-charge to take care of the daily operation of a state-run college in Arakan, North Cotabato, recently rocked by illegal drugs and loose firearms’ controversy.
Upon the recommendation of Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Pinol, Clint D. Hassan, current dean of the College of Information and Communication Technology of the Cotabato Foundation College for Science and Technology (CFCST), was appointed as college OIC president.
Dr. Samson Molao, CFCST president, has not reported for work since Jan. 29 after the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) raided his home inside the CFCST compound in Barangay Doroluman, Arakan town.
Hassan’s installation is yet to be announced publicly.
In that raid, anti-narcotic operatives seized some PhP500,000 worth of shabu and 13 high-powered guns from Molao’s staff house.
Five people who were in the staff house were arrested for gun possession.
Molao was not in his house during the PDEA raid, which was covered by a search warrant issued by a local court. PDEA charged Molao with violation of Section 6, Article 2 of the Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002) that specifically outlawed operation of drug dens.
His lawyer, Israelito Torreon, claimed that Molao was not hiding and in fact ready to face the charges leveled against him in proper forum.
PDEA agents, led by the Director Levi Ortiz of PDEA Special Enforcement Service based in Manila, said more than Php500,000 worth of shabu were found in Molao’s cabinet inside the school president’s staff house.
Ortiz showed to reporters copies of the warrant for the search issued by Judge Alandrex Betoya of the Regional Trial Court. (Edwin Fernandez/PNA)
