BONTOC, Mtn. Prov.– Four local tourists waiting for their ride for Manila were arrested at Poblacion, Bontoc Mountain Province while residents were waiting for the start of PRDD’s SONA.
Joint personnel from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency regional office-CAR, Criminal Intelligence Detection Group-Mountain Province, Provincial Intelligence Branch and Bontoc Municipal Police Station conducted the anti-Illegal drugs operation at about 3:30 pm of July 23, 2018 at Poblacion, Bontoc on the information that the suspects will transport illegal drugs.
A police report identified the suspects as Edward Francis Cea y Cham, 26, freelance graphic artist of Sta. Rosa, Laguna; Jericho Perez, 22, businessman of Bagong Silang, Caloocan City; Christine de Guzman y Rodriguez, 29, call center agent of Calamba, Laguna and Carla Amor Ong y Sarmiento, 30, of San Pedro, Laguna.
Investigation disclosed that the group allegedly came from Buscalan, Tinglayan, Kalinga.
Seized from the arrested persons were 24 bricks of suspected marijuana leaves and 4 tubular shape of suspected marijuana stalks contained in four bags as follows: one bag colored black with seven bricks of suspected marijuana leaves, one colored gray with nine bricks of suspected marijuana leaves, one bag colored black and gray with eight bricks of suspected marijuana leaves and one bag colored red and gray with four tubular shape of suspected marijuana stalks.
Physical inventory and photographs of the seized items were conducted at the place of arrest in the presence of representatives from the barangay, media and the Provincial Prosecutor’ss Office..
The seized suspected marijuana weighing approximately 26 kilograms have a Dangerous Drugs Board value of P850,000.00.
Seized items were transported to the PDEA Crime Laboratory, Camp Bado Dangwa, La Trinidad, Benguet-Regional Office for qualitative examination together with the arrested suspects for drug testing.
Suspects were detained at the Bontoc MPS according to PSI Faith Igualdo, chief of Bontoc MPS while awaiting the filing of the case and the commitment order.
A case of violation of Sections 5 and 15, Article 2 of RA 9165 was referred for inquest proceedings on July 25, 2018 and docketed as 1-07-INQ-18G-00077 and cases were subsequently filed against the suspects before the Regional Trail Court here.
The four suspects were committed at the Mountain Province District Jail with no bail recommended by virtue of the commitment order duly signed by Judge Luis Daoen.
Suspects were not in the drug personalities list of the Police Regional Office-Cordillera.
A PDEA agent disclosed that they have been watching over this group saying, “pinmuyat dagitoy”. **Ferdie Cariño Castañeda