Laborer yields P16-K shabu in Digos City

DIGOS CITY – A laborer is now languishing in jail after being caught selling prohibited drugs to an undercover agent during a buy-bust operation Thursday evening, police said.

Lt. Colonel Vici Anthony Tababa, Digos City police chief, said authorities launched the sting operation against Arnel Talaboc Yap, a resident of Barangay Aplaya here.

A team composed of the Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit, Provincial Intelligence Unit, Regional Intelligence Unit –11, Digos City drug enforcement unit, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), and agents of Davao del Sur Provincial Office seized at least PHP16,000 worth of suspected shabu from Yap during the buy-bust operation.

Police said the law enforcers also confiscated five sachets of suspected shabu from Yap.

One of the five sachets was sold by the suspect to the poseur-buyer in exchange for the PHP500 bill used by the police as marked money. The remaining four sachets were recovered from Yap’s possession during the body search after he was placed under arrest, police said.

Tababa said Yap was brought to the office of the Davao del Sur Provincial Crime Laboratory (DS-PCLO) for a drug test and then to the Davao del Sur Provincial Hospital for medical examination before he was detained.

Yap will be charged for violating the Republic Act 9165 otherwise known as the Comprehensive Anti-Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 for selling and possession of prohibited drugs.

Tababa cautioned those who are still into the illegal drug trade to refrain from illicit activities "or face the full force of the law".

“I would like to emphasize that the personnel of Digos City police will continue to run after criminal elements within our area of responsibility, even if we are also providing assistance to the authorities in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic,” Tababa said. (PNA)