CAMP DANGWA, Benguet — Four drug suspects, including a minor, and two others carrying unlicensed firearms, were arrested in various parts of the Cordillera over the weekend, police authorities said on Monday.
Police Regional Office Cordillera (PROCOR) Regional Director Chief Superintendent Edward Carranza identified the drug suspects as Abdul Gafar Batuaan, Jonas Ang, Andre Gonzalo Lazada, and a minor whose identity was withheld.
The four suspects, all from Santiago, Isabela were arrested in a checkpoint at Barangay Bangad, Tinglayan, Kalinga province last Feb. 17 for allegedly possessing illegal drugs.
Carranza said combined personnel of Tinglayan Police and operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) arrested the four suspects.
Initial police investigation shows that before their arrest, suspects were on-board two motorcycles coming from Barangay Buscalan, Tinglayan, Kalinga heading towards Santiago City, Isabela when they were flagged down on a checkpoint.
Almost a kilo of dried marijuana leaves with an estimated market value of PHP812, 500 was confiscated from the suspects.
Carranza also reported on Monday the arrest of two persons for illegal possession of firearms.
The police officer identified those arrested as Peter Dangiwan Chinalpan, 48, a construction worker from Upper Pinget, Baguio City, and Johnson Sawac Tindo, 25, a farmer from Lam-ayan Bangao, Buguias.
Confiscated from Chinalpan and Tindo were different types of unlicensed handguns and ammunitions.
The suspects are now in police custody and facing criminal cases for violation of RA 9165 known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drug Act of 2002 and RA 10591 known as Illegal Possession of Firearms. PNA-northboundasia.com