Robert C. Dejon | February 16, 2022
A female Sangguniang Bayan Member (SBM) and her alleged cohort were apprehended by a composite team led by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Station Drug Enforcement Team around 2PM February 11 at Brgy. Tadoc, Abuyog, Leyte.
PDEA Regional Director Edgar T. Jubay identified the suspects as Judith Gorgonio y Gallos, 47, married and a barangay kagawad of the aforementioned barangay. The cohort was identified as Christian Mark Carandang y Plando, 23, single, a driver and a resident of the same barangay. Gorgonio is tagged by the PDEA as High Valued Target and on the Priority Target List.
The PDEA disclosed that the target of the operation was Gorgonio. The operatives recovered one (1) sachet containing white crystalline substances suspected to be shabu procured by an agent worth P1000.00. During the body search witnessed by barangay officials, representatives from the Department of Justice and media, the searching agent recovered a coin purse from her shoulder bag that yielded another six (6) sachets containing suspected shabu estimated to weigh five (5) grams and could cost P34, 000.00.
Also recovered was one (1) P1000.00 bill bearing serial number PZ574620 prescribed by the court for the said operation. Four (4) cellular phones, one (1) brown pouch, two (2) shoulder bags, one (1) backpack and cash in different denominations amounting to P35, 958.00 suspected to be proceeds from selling illegal drugs were also recovered.
Accordingly, the operation was done along the provincial road traversing the said barangay while the suspects were aboard a tricycle manned by Carandang. However, after the declaration of the buy-bust, Carandang allegedly jumped off the tricycle and tried to escape but to futile results as PDEA agents already secured the area and was caught after several meters of chasing.
The agents also recovered from the suspect an empty waist bag. They suspected that the suspect threw all its contents while trying to escape. The tricycle came from the Abuyog Penal Colony where the SBM’s husband is locked for drug charges.
Both suspects denied their involvement in the illegal drug trade in their place. But the PDEA said information relayed to the Isumbong Mo Kay Wilkins (IMKW) program disclosed that the barangay official was involved in illegal drug activity in her barangay that prompted them to conduct surveillance until a buy-bust operation was held resulting to her and her alleged cohort’s arrest.
The suspects are currently detained at the PDEA custodial facility in Palo, Leyte while charges to violations of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 are being readied against them.
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