Mindanao Times

Surgeon nabbed

- B. Saron By Rhoda Grace

POLICE operatives arrested a government surgeon, alleged to be the supplier of illegal drugs to a certain LGBT community, in a buy-bust operation conducted in Barangay 28-C, Poblacion District pre-dawn yesterday.

Maj. Mike Uyanguren, the commander of the operating Sta. Ana Police Station, identified the suspect as Dr. John Perrett Olivar Herrera, 33, single, and resident

of New Matina, Gravahan, Davao City.

Herrera is a resident doctor of the Southern Philippine­s Medical Center (SPMC).

Uyanguren said the suspect, considered as a highvalue target, is in the Directorat­e for Intelligen­ce Drugs Watchlist

“We conducted twomonth surveillan­ce (against the doctor),” the police commander said, adding that Herrera’s name usually came up in their previous investigat­ions on other arrested drug suspects.

During the operation along Suazo Street at 3:05 a.m. yesterday, an undercover police operative was able to buy a sachet of shabu from the suspect for P1,000.

The operative immediatel­y arrested the suspect.

Also seized from his possession was another sachet of shabu, P10,000 cash, a cellular phone and a disposable syringe containing suspected liquidized shabu.

The suspect’s Toyota

Vios, bearing plate # TOJ 320, was also impounded.

The confiscate­d illegal drugs weight around 0.2500 grams with an estimated street market value of P10,000.

He is now detained at the Sta. Ana Police as charges for violation of Republic Act 9165 are now being prepared.

Uyanguren said most of Herrera’s patrons are members of the gay community and people he met on the social media, particular­ly in the Grindr app, said to be the largest social network for gay, bi, trans, and queer people.

He said the arrest of the physician will minimize the circulatio­n of illegal drugs within the downtown area of the city.

“With this accomplish­ment, the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) will stop at nothing to fortuitous­ly attain these personalit­ies and will prevail in robust conduct of operations and surveillan­ce,” the DCPO said in a statement.

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