TACLOBAN CITY — Six drug suspects, including a village youth council chairman, were arrested Wednesday night in a buy-bust operation in Baybay City, Leyte.
PDEA Eastern Visayas Regional Director Edgar Jubay identified the apprehended youth council chairman as Doni Francis Pascua, 21, of Inopacan, Leyte.
The other arrested suspects included Jomar Jose Polo, 22, fisherman from Himoaw village, Hilongos Leyte; John Paul Navales, 24, businessman from Santa Cruz village in Hilongos, Leyte; Jester James Lora, 22, jobless from Campina village, Hilongos, Leyte; Epheren Son Flores, 30, waiter from Santa Cruz village, Baybay City; and Edison Flores, 31 singer, also from Santa Cruz village.
“Since they are not on our drug watchlist, they are considered as newly-identified drug personalities,” Jubay told reporters.
The buy-bust operation by narcotics agents and policemen took place in a suspected drug den in Guadalupe village in Baybay City past 10 p.m. on Wednesday. An undercover officer posed as a buyer of shabu from Polo.
Purchased and confiscated during the operation were five pieces heat-sealed transparent plastic sachet containing suspected shabu with an estimated market value of PHP24,400 and various drug paraphernalia.
Jubay said Polo will be charged with sale and possession of dangerous drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia.
The rest of those arrested will be facing charges as employees/visitors of drug den, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
The suspects are temporarily detained at PDEA Region 8 detention facility in Palo, Leyte. (Lizbeth Ann Abella/PNA)
