Cash reward up for 2 DavOr cocaine bricks finders

DAVAO CITY – The provincial government of Davao Oriental will provide PHP30,000 cash reward for each of the finders of the 39 bricks of cocaine found along the shore of Santiago in Caraga town on Sunday and Monday.

Provincial Information Officer Karen Deloso said on Thursday that the cash reward was approved by the Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council (PADAC) during its meeting on Wednesday.

PADAC's approval came after Gov. Nelson Dayanghirang proposed the reward money for villagers who found the cocaine bricks worth PHP215 million.

Deloso said PADAC passed a resolution citing the two residents for being instrumental in the recovery of the illegal drugs, and that the council hopes the reward would encourage people to support the province’s anti-drug campaign.

On Sunday, residents of Davao Oriental coastal town of Caraga fished out 39 bricks of cocaine worth PHP215 million, prompting the Police Regional Office-11 to ask the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to scour the province's coast.

At past 11 a.m. Monday, three more bricks were fished out in the same area where the cocaine bundles were found, police said.

PDEA-Region 11 Director Antonio Rivera said the bricks were confirmed to be cocaine after laboratory tests. Each brick, he said, contained a kilo of cocaine.

Dayanghirang has also called on his constituents to immediately surrender the remnants of illegal drugs believed to be still floating along the coastal communities in the province.

He also called for the strengthening of partnership and coordination with all stakeholders to help solve the illegal drug menace.

“We will continue to mobilize everyone for the campaign against illegal drugs trade. And I ask everyone from the barangay chairs to the mayors and all those occupying seats of power and authority, not to lower our guard,” Dayanghirang said. (PNA)