Capitol employee faces termination

AN employee of the provincial government who was among those arrested in a buy-bust operation over the weekend will face dismissal proceedings.

The statement was issued yesterday by Vice Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson relative to reports that the regular employee of the Provincial Accounting Office was caught by police operatives in a buy-bust operation on Saturday.

The employee was identified as Francisco Nuñal who was arrested with two other suspects in Purok Balinday, Brgy.2, Bacolod City over the

weekend, along with two other suspects.

Seized from the suspects were suspected shabu worth P150,000, drug paraphernalia and a homemade .45 caliber pistol.

Nuñal was considered a high-value drug target and was one of the subjects of the operations of the Bacolod City Police Office.

Lacson said “If proven positive with illegal drugs, he will bear the consequences, like dismissal.”

“They know that it is illegal, that is why we should not be soft on them,” he said.

Lacson further said that when he sits as governor, he will conduct a “random check” of all Capitol workers.

Venchito Magalona, president of the Progressive Alliance of Capitol Employees (PACE) said they have long suspected that Nuñal was into illegal drugs.

Magalona said that as leaders of the more nearly 3,000 working force of the provincial employees, they are constantly reminding them not to get involved in illegal drugs.

Meanwhile drugs charges were also filed yesterday against the two others who were arrested with Nuñal during the drug-bust on Saturday.

His companions were identified as Warren Abalos, 42, and Marvic Diola, 25, all residents of Barangay 2.

Police Major Sherlock Gabana, chief of Police Station 7, said violation of Sections 5, 11, and 12 of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 were filed against the suspects.

He said violation of Commission on Elections (Comelec) gun ban was also filed against Abalos.

On Saturday, the suspects were arrested in drugbust at Purok Balinday in Barangay 2.

Police recovered from the suspects’ possession five sachets of shabu with an estimated market value of P150,000, the P500 marked money, .45 caliber revolver and drug paraphernalia.

The suspects are detained at the custodial facility of Police Station 7./ Teresa D. Ellera and Merlinda Pedrosa