ILLEGAL DRUGS. Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte confronts the two suspects arrested on Sunday (June 25, 2023) for trying to sneak in an estimated 1.1 kilogram of shabu into Davao City from North Cotabato. Task Force Davao identified the suspects as Cresil Jay Lacia, 29, and Antonio Palacios Jr., 30, both from New Corella, Davao del Norte. (Photo courtesy of Toril Police Station)
DAVAO CITY – The Task Force Davao (TFD) and the Davao City Police Office confiscated some 1.1 kilograms of shabu from two suspects at a checkpoint on Sunday.
In a press briefing Monday, TFD chief Col. Darren Comia said the seized illegal drugs at Barangay Sirawan, Toril checkpoint is the biggest haul so far for the year.
Authorities discovered the contraband inside a vehicle from Midsayap, North Cotabato along with suspects as Cresil Jay Lacia, 29, and Antonio Palacios Jr., 30, both residents of New Corella, Davao del Norte.
“The two suspects were accompanied by two elderlies and three children seated at the back of the vehicle. The reaction of the elderlies dictates that authorities should really check the car thoroughly,” Comia said.
One of the passengers is an aunt of one of the suspects and the other is not a relative of any of the suspects.
“This has been their modus. They tag along elderlies and others, for them to have an alibi when passing checkpoints,” Comia said.
Comia said one of the police officers "saw in plain view" one small brown envelope with an exposed transparent plastic sachet containing the suspected shabu placed at the front passenger floor. Beside it, he said, were another two transparent cellophanes containing 19 pieces of small brown envelopes with heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets of suspected shabu.
When asked, one of the suspects told authorities that the suspected shabu was a type of medicine used by their elderly companion.
“When asked what kind of medicine, the elderly was not able to answer it. When told to open it, it contains 20 sachets of shabu,” the TFD chief said.
Comia said the driver and passenger of the vehicle were arrested.
They are now detained at the Toril Police Station pending the conduct of inquest proceedings for violation of RA 9165 while the seized drugs were turn-over to Davao City Forensic Unit for examination and safekeeping.
“We have a follow-up operation with DCPO and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency to investigate where these came from and where it will be distributed,” Comia said.
Mayor Sebastian Duterte personally confronted the two suspects hours after they were caught, he added.
“Mayor Baste commended and congratulated the troops for the accomplishment. He thanked them for the service rendered to the city,” Comia said. (PNA)
