ZAMBOANGA CITY — Lt. Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr., Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) chief, said he will not and never tolerate the involvement of any personnel in illegal drugs.
Galvez issued the statement following the arrest of a soldier with a female companion in an anti-drug operations in the province of Zamboanga del Sur.
Corporal Lehamber Acosta, 31, of the 1st Signal Battalion, Army Signal Regiment, and his female companion were arrested in a buy-bust operation on Monday at a hotel room in Barangay Tuburan, Pagadian City.
The arresting team recovered from them a heat-sealed plastic sachet of suspected shabu, PhP1,000 marked money consisting of two P500 bills, and three pieces of folded aluminum foil.
The soldier and his female companion were detained while appropriate charges are readied to be filed against them.
Galvez said the campaign against illegal drugs is one of his priorities as the highest military commander in the region.
“Any drug case involving our personnel will be dealt with in accordance with the law,” Galvez said adding: “Let this be a strong reminded to everyone.”
“We strongly support and adhere to the policy and campaign of the current administration against the proliferation of illegal drug trade in the country,” he said.
Galvez, who visited the Army’ 1st Infantry Division headquarters, on Tuesday, vowed that he will not and never tolerate personnel who will be found involved in the use or sale of illegal drugs.
Maj. Gen. Roseller Murillo, Army’s 1st Infantry Division commander, said they are saddened that “there are still soldiers who are into illegal drugs” despite the constant reminders.
“We will be more aggressive in finding out scalawags among our ranks and we will definitely be harsh on them,” Murillo added.
Acosta, who is assigned in Basilan province, belongs to the 1st Infantry Division. (Teofilo Garcia, Jr/PNA)
