ORMOC CITY- A provincial guard assigned at a sub-provincial jail in Hilongos, Leyte was found to be in possession of suspected shabu and gun and ammunition during a buy-bust operation conducted on Tuesday (May 21) at about 11:05 pm.
The operation, initiated by personnel from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the local police drug enforcement team, against Mario Sotto, 45, jail guard of the said facility, resulted in the discovery of five sachets of suspected shabu with a commercial value of P34,000.
The operation, held in Barangay Ponong, Matalom in Leyte, also resulted in the recovery of one unit of Caliber 45 pistol with two magazines and 15 pieces of live ammunition from the jail guard, PDEA Regional Director Jacqueline De Guzman, said.
The suspect was informed of the nature of his arrest and was apprised of his constitutional rights in a language that he understood.
Charges of violations of sections 5 (selling illegal drugs) & 11 (possession of illegal drugs) of Article II of RA 9165, the Comprehensive Law against Illegal Drugs of 2002, were filed against the suspect who is now detained at the locked-up cell of the Matalom municipal police station.
(ROBERT DEJON)
