RECOVERED SHABU. Photo shows the recovered shabu from two South Cotabato government employees during a buy-bust operation conducted by agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency inside the provincial motorpool in Koronadal City on Wednesday (Feb. 5, 2020). The suspects were considered as 'newly-identified drug personalities' in the province. (PNA photo by Alejandro Saludo)
GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- Anti-narcotics operatives arrested two South Cotabato government employees in a buy-bust operation on Wednesday inside the provincial motorpool in Koronadal City.
Kath Abad, public information officer of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-Region 12, identified the suspects as Renante Anas, 36, and Joemel Cabrera, 39, both assigned at the South Cotabato Provincial Engineering Office (PEO).
In a report released Thursday morning, Abad said the two sold a sachet of suspected shabu worth PHP500 to a PDEA agent who posed as a buyer around 10:30 a.m. inside the government compound along Waling-Waling Street in Barangay Zone IV.
Anas and Cabrera yielded another small plastic sachet containing suspected shabu valued at PHP1,000 in a subsequent search, Abad said.
She said PDEA received information about the suspects' alleged illegal activities from an anonymous informant, adding the two were listed as “newly-identified drug personalities” in the area.
“They were considered as high-value targets since they were doing the drug transactions inside a government compound,” Abad said.
Marnilo Aperocho, PEO chief, expressed disappointment over the involvement of their employees in the illegal drug trade.
Aperocho said Anas, who hails from Surallah town, is a regular employee, while Cabrera is a job order worker and had tested negative in recent drug tests.
“I have repeatedly reminded them to shun from illegal activities, especially involving illegal drugs,” he said in a radio interview.
The suspects, who are currently detained at the PDEA-12 lockup here, will be charged with selling and possession of dangerous drugs, under Article II of Republic Act 9165 or the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. (PNA)
