TACLOBAN CITY- A combined teams from the regional office of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and local and provincial police in Northern Samar recently arrested two men working in the government alleged to be engaged in the illegal drug trade. Arrested by the authorities were Noemi Siervo, said to be a confidential aide of Pambujan Mayor Lino Balanquit and Adolfo Avalon, identified to be a relative of San Roque Mayor Don Avalon.
The operations were separately conducted by the operatives on March 11 which resulted to the arrest of the two government workers. Laurefel Gabales, officer-in-charge of the PDEA-8, said in a press statement that the operations did not only result to the arrest of the two suspects but also yielded sachets containing believed to be “shabu” (hydrochloride methamphetamine) with an estimated market value of P10,000 and some firearms.
Laurefel said that the two will be charged for violation of Section 11 (Possession of Dangerous Drugs) and Section 12 (Possession of the Equipment, Instrument, Apparatus and Other Paraphernalia for Dangerous drugs) Article II of R.A 9165 otherwise known as Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Additional charged for violation of RA 8294 will be filed against Avalon who was in possession of one cal. pistol M1911, one 9mm cal. pistol, one cal. 45, one homemade cal. 38, one hand grenade and assorted live ammunition. The suspects are now temporarily detained at San Roque Police lock-up facility. (PDEA,PR)
