CAMP COL. RAFAEL C. RODRIGUEZ, Butuan City – A tourist guide in Siargao Island was arrested for allegedly peddling cocaine.
In a statement sent to The Manila Bulletin on Friday, Caraga Police Regional Office 13 (PRO 13) Regional Director Brig. Gen. Joselito T. Esquivel, Jr. said the suspect, whose identity is temporarily withheld pending the arrest of his contacts and cohorts in the illicit drug trade, is a tourist guide in Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte province.
He was collared during a buy-bust operation conducted by the police drug enforcement unit (DEU) in Siargao Island at around 12:03 a.m. on Tuesday.
The buy-bust operation was conducted after PNP personnel of General Luna Municipal Police Station (MPS) received a report that a certain tourist guide is allegedly peddling drugs in the area, Esquivel said.
During the buy bust operation, confiscated from the suspect were one sachet of suspected cocaine weighing 1 gram with a market value of P10,000, one genuine P1,000 peso bill as marked money and ten boodle money, one Huawei black cellphone, one lighter, and cash amounting to P4,845 in different denominations.
A case for violation of Section 5 and Article II, of RA 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, is being prepared by the General Luna MPS against the suspect.
General Luna MPS is conducting a manhunt on the cohorts of the suspect.
Esquivel urged the active support and cooperation of other law enforcement agencies, local government units, and community in the PNP’s continuous fight against criminality and illegal activities even during this time of global health crisis brought about by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).