A MUNICIPAL councilor of Kiblawan, Davao del Sur, who has been tagged as a high-value target (HVT) by authorities, and two others were arrested while having a “pot session” inside a market stall in Bankerohan Public Market, Davao City.

A police report provided by Davao City Police Office (DCPO) Director Police Colonel Kirby John Kraft on Saturday, June 13, 2020, identified the government official as Cipriano Ponce Sarona, 53, municipal councilor of Kiblawan Davao Del Sur.

The anti-illegal drug operation at 11:40 a.m. on Saturday was conducted by the San Pedro Police Station following a report on an ongoing pot session inside a market stall in Larayan 2000, Purok 3 Barangay 6-A Bankerohan Public Market.

“The suspects were arrested while in the act of sniffing shabu inside the market stall with half-open roll-up door,” Kraft said.

Kraft said Sarona is a businessman in Davao City, which is why he has a stall at the Bankerohan market. Sarona is a mango wholesaler.

Aside from Sarona, also arrested were Butch Eltagonde Amarillo (HVT), 38, a contractual driver (job order) of the Municipality of Kiblawan and Archie Napoles Truya, 31, a mango harvester, resident of Purok 6A-1, Barangay Los Amigos Tugbok, Davao City.

Sarona is the latest government official apprehended in Davao City.

Recovered from the market stall were shabu and other drug paraphernalia.

The three drug suspects are now facing cases for violation of the Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.