By Mar Serrano/PNA
LEGAZPI CITY — The son of Bureau of Corrections chief Nicanor Faeldon Sr. is not yet off the hook from charges under the comprehensive illegal drugs act despite testing negative for drug use, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Bicol said.
Christian Frivaldo, PDEA-Bicol acting director, said in an interview on Saturday that Faeldon Jr. is not yet cleared as he would still be investigated regarding his presence in the drug den allegedly being operated by Russel Lanuzo, alias “Bubbles”, a suspected illegal drug pusher in Naga City.
Faeldon was arrested together with Lanuzo, 47; Allan Valdez, 44; and Manuel Nebres, 39, during Friday’s early morning raid when police served a search warrant against Lanuzo in his house along San Miguel St., Barangay Mabolo, Naga City.
“The mere use of a drug den and his presence in the drug den is a ground for two different issues or offense he could be charged with,” Frivaldo said.
The offense of being caught in a drug den would be bailable and he will be allowed to post bail as prescribed by the court, he added.
Frivaldo said for the offense, the court would allow Faeldon Jr. to post a PHP100,000-bail for his temporary liberty.
He said Faeldon Jr.’s case would still undergo inquest proceedings before government prosecutors and the result of the preliminary investigation would then be submitted to a local court.
For the meantime, he would remain at the Philippine National Police (PNP) detention facility in Naga City, Frivaldo said.
The PNP crime laboratory in Camarines Sur has released the drug test result, with Faeldon Jr. testing negative for illegal drug substance, and the other three suspects testing positive for “shabu”.