DUMAGUETE CITY – Joint operatives from the Provincial Intelligence Branch and Special Operations Group of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) arrested on Friday a high-value target during an anti-illegal drugs operation in this city.
Arrested during the service of a search warrant issued by Negros Oriental Executive Judge Gerardo Paguio, Jr. was Adrian Svend Piñero, who has no permanent address, but whose newly-rented house was situated in Barangay Candau-ay in this provincial capital.
Seized during the search were more or less 75 grams of suspected shabu worth PHP800,000.
Senior Insp. Joel Van Tingson disclosed that the suspect's arrest is the result of an intelligence-driven operation, being a high-value target.
His name surfaced in previous arrests made by the group, but he is transferring from one place to another until an informant tipped off authorities about his latest address, he said.
The suspect is considered a level 2 drug personality because he can dispose of 150 to 250 grams of shabu in a week, with remittances amounting to hundreds of thousands of pesos to unknown individuals, said Tingson.
Tingson said operatives checked his lifestyle and found out he had no job but was renting a house in Candau-ay.
His name particularly surfaced in the arrest of a certain Oding last week as an alleged source of shabu, he said.
In fact, on Thursday night, Piñero was monitored to be delivering alleged shabu in Sibulan town and other nearby areas, the police officer said.
Also recovered during the search were suspected drug sale proceeds amounting to PHP7,442.00, cellular phones, a digital weighing scale, lighters, tin foils, clips, and a homemade cal. 38 revolver with eight rounds of live ammunition.
Village chief Greg Oira, who witnessed the search, said he did not know Piñero personally and when asked, the suspect claimed he was from Batinguel, Dumaguete City. (PNA)
