PDEA arrests 3 in Dagupan drug buy-bust
AGENTS of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Region 1 (PDEA RO1) did not take a holiday on May 1 as they arrested three men in a buy-bust operation at the outskirts of Fernandez Street Barangay II in Dagupan City, tagged as the center of illegal drug dealing in Pangasinan.
Arrested were Roberto Lobrera, his cousin Oscar Lobrera and their friend Benedict Operana after they made a sale of Methampethamine hydrochloride, street named shabu, to a PDEA agent.
Three pieces of plastic sachets containing shabu were confiscated along with the buy-bust money. Further body search of the three suspects yielded assorted drug paraphernalia.
Meanwhile, Dagupan Mayor Benjamin Lim said the city government will deal with the persistent drug problem with patience.
“We’ll be very, very patient in dealing with this thing,” he said during the KBP Forum held at the Philippine Information Agency office on Thursday.
Lim pointed out that illegal drugs cannot be eliminated just by arresting suspected drug dealers and users, but that the demand should be reduced.
Two months ago, several police officers were charged administratively before the National Police Commission for alleged illegal arrest and extortion of suspected drug pushers.
On the other hand, demand reduction, Lim explained, will be addressed through seminars in school.
The city government together with the police previously conducted dialogues with the residents of Sitio Silongan, considered as the city’s drug hub, but there have been no milestones in stopping the illegal trading.
Lim sees the lack of alternative livelihood as the main reason why residents get engaged in the illegal drug business.
OTHER PDEA BUSTS
On the second day of May, Antonio Villanueva, a 39-year-old unemployed local of Barangay San Quentin in Sarrat Ilocos Norte, was also arrested by PDEA agents for selling shabu after concerned citizens reported his illegal activities.
Villanueva was found to be under the Watchlist of both the PDEA and the Philippine National Police.
Another watch-listed drug peddler was arrested on May 3 in Baranggay Poblacion East, Rosario La Union.
Jayche Navarro was collared in the middle of the day as he sold two sachets of shabu to PDEA RO1 agents.
All five arrested suspects were charged with selling illegal drugs under Section 5 Article II of Republic Act 9165 otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.
“We are adamant in doing our jobs, even though the climate is hot, we are delivering hotter signals against these criminals,” said PDEA Regional Director Edgar S. Apalla.
Dangerous Drugs Board Chairman Antonio Villar has been advocating the reinstitution of the death penalty as punishment for drug pushers. (with report from PIA-Pangasinan)
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