2 gov’t employees nabbed in drug bust

GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- Anti-narcotics operatives arrested two South Cotabato government employees in a buy-bust operation on Wednesday inside the provincial motorpool in Koronadal City.

Kath Abad, public information officer of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)Region 12, identified the suspects as Renante Anas, 36, and Joemel Cabrera, 39, both assigned at the South Cotabato Provincial Engineering Office (PEO).

In a report released Thursday morning, Abad said the two sold a saMALAYBALAY chet of suspected shabu worth PHP500 to a PDEA agent who posed as a buyer around 10:30 a.m. inside the government compound along Waling-Waling Street in Barangay Zone IV.

Anas and Cabrera yielded another small plastic sachet containing suspected shabu valued at PHP1,000 in a subsequent search, Abad said.

She said PDEA received information about the suspects’ alleged illegal activities from an anonymous informant, adding the two were listed as “newlyidentified drug personalities” in the area.

“They were considered as high-value targets since they were doing the drug transactions inside a government compound,” Abad said.

Marnilo Aperocho, PEO chief, expressed disappointment over the involvement of their employees in the illegal drug trade.

Aperocho said Anas, who hails from Surallah town, is a regular employee, while Cabrera is a job order worker and had tested negative in recent drug tests.

“I have repeatedly reminded them to shun from illegal activities, especially involving illegal drugs,” he said in a radio interview.

The suspects, who are currently detained at the PDEA-12 lockup here, will be charged with selling and possession of dangerous drugs, under Article II of Republic Act 9165 or the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. (PNA)