LOS BAŇOS, Laguna Aug. 10 – Two college students in this town’s state universities were apprehended on Wednesday by lawmen in the “One Time, Big Time” search warrant operations in Barangay Batong Malake here.
Police Senior Inspector Gerrry L. Sangalang, chief of the Laguna police public information office, disclosed on Thursday that the joint team was composed of the Los Baños police force, provincial intelligence branch (PIB) and Highway Patrol Group (HPG) in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Region 4A.
In his report to Laguna Police Provincial Director Senior Supt. Cecilio Ramos Ison Jr., the Los Baños chief of police Superintendent Arvin B. Avelino identified the students as 23 year-old Joshua Camello Gregorio of the Laguna State Polytechnic University (LSPU)-Los Baňos Campus; and 22 year-old Dulce Amor Dadacay Carcosia of the University of the Philippines in Los Baños (UPLB).
Both students reside at the 11007 Searca Apartment, Palm Drive where they were arrested during the search warrant operations. Police said the two are not included in their High Value Target (HVT) list.
Avelino said that the search warrant was issued on Aug. 8 by Executive Judge Agripino G. Morga of the Regional Trial Court Branch 29-32 in San Pablo City.
Operatives seized two plastic sachets of suspected marijuana flowering tops, seedlings planted in plastic pots, fresh leaves and seeds.
Police also confiscated a glass pipe containing suspected marijuana residue; a resealable transparent plastic sachet containing suspected dried marijuana leaves and a small blue-colored weighing scale.
The seized evidence fetched an estimated street value of Php 50,000.
The operatives disclosed that the search warrant operation was conducted in an orderly manner as witnessed by Barangay Batong Malake Councilor Delfin Pabalate and media representative Levy Tatad.
According to the joint police search team, the suspects were apprised of their constitutional rights and were brought, including the confiscated evidence to the Regional Crime Laboratory Office (RCLO) 4A for examinations.
The two students now face charges for violation of Sections 11,12 and 16 under Article II of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs act or R.A. 9165 before the Provincial Prosecutors Office in Calamba City. (Saul E. Pa-a/PNA)
