INTELLIGENCE operatives of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-Northern Mindanao arrested a former mayor of Balingoan town in Misamis Oriental in a buy-bust operation Thursday afternoon.
Arrested was Edgar Y. Santos, 55, married, also known as Bongarot/Yoram/Bosing, reportedly a former mayor of Balingoan town.
Santos, owner of a restaurant/inn who resides at Barangay Bauk-Bauk, Balingoan, Misamis Oriental, was nabbed after selling one piece of heat sealed transparent plastic sachet containing white crystalline substance believed to be shabu.
Recovered from Santos' possession were four pieces of heat sealed transparent plastic sachet containing white crystalline substance believed to be shabu, one piece improvised aluminum foil strip tooter, and two pieces 500-peso bills used as buy-bust money.
The suspect is now temporarily detained at the PDEA office for booking and documentation, while the confiscated drug items were brought to the Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory for qualitative and quantitative examination.
A case for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 is now being prepared against the suspect.
Meanwhile, PDEA chief Dionisio Santiago reported Friday that the agency apprehended nearly 400 kilograms of cocaine since December 2009, lauding the public vigilance and cooperation in the agency's campaign.
He said they are intensifying narcotics operations to recover more cocaine bricks that were dumped by a Chinese fishing vessel off the coast of Eastern Samar in December last year.
Since December 22, 2009, a total of 395.993 kilograms of cocaine have been recovered by PDEA, Philippine National Police, National Bureau of Investigation, and Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Two drug destruction activities, on December 24, 2009 and February 11, 2010, were conducted, resulting in the burning of a total of 294.716 kilograms of cocaine.
These recovered illegal drugs were obtained either through buy-bust operations, implementation of search warrants, or voluntarily turned over by citizens, mostly fishermen who found them in different areas.
"While it is sad to note that many people attempted to keep these cocaine bricks with the hope that they can alleviate their state of poverty, the fact remains that mere possession of these items is a criminal offense," Santiago said.
He said the more unscrupulous ones caught during buy-bust operations simply wanted to sell them for financial gain at the expense of many precious and innocent lives.
Based on current records at the PDEA Plans and Operations Service, law enforcement authorities have arrested a total of 14 persons since January 10, 2010.
They were caught while either selling or keeping the cocaine in sachets and bricks.
"We are once again appealing to all those who still have cocaine bricks in their possession and control to immediately surrender the drugs. Do not wait for the long arm of the law to reach you," Santiago said. (With Sunnex)