Republic of the Office of the President

PHILIPPINE DRUG ENFORCEMENT AGENCY NIA Northside Road, National Government Center

Barangay Pinyahan,

PRESS RELEASE # 103/15 DATE : March 11, 2015 AUTHORITY : UNDERSECRETARY ARTURO G. CACDAC, JR., CESE Director General For more information, comments and suggestions please call: DERRICK ARNOLD C CARREON, CESE, Director, Public Information Office Tel. No. 929-3244, 927-9702 Loc.131; Cell phone: 09159111585

GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE CAUGHT DURING PDEA SEARCH IN LEGAZPI CITY

A 48-year-old government employee was arrested by combined operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) during the implementation of a search warrant in Legazpi City on March 5, 2015.

PDEA Director General Undersecretary Arturo G. Cacdac, Jr. identified the suspect as Roland Velasco y Dasalla, alias Wabo, a local government employee of Legazpi City Hall and a resident of Purok 2, Brgy. Pinaric, Legazpi City.

At around 5:25 pm, combined elements of PDEA Regional Office 5 – Provincial Office (PDEA RO5) under Director Archie A. Grande and Legazpi City Police Station implemented a search warrant issued by the Honorable Alben C. Rabe, Presiding Judge of Branch 15, City, Albay in Purok 2, Brgy. Pinaric, Legazpi City which led to the arrest of Velasco.

Confiscated from Velasco were five pieces of heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets containing suspected to be shabu, one piece of small unsealed transparent plastic sachet containing suspected shabu residue, one pair of scissors, 13 disposable lighters, several rolled and strips of aluminum foils, and empty sachets.

Velasco will face charges for violation of Section 11 (Possession of Dangerous Drugs), and Section 12 (Possession of Equipment and Other Drug Paraphernalia for Dangerous Drugs), Article II of Republic Act 9165, or The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. He is temporarily detained at the Legazpi City Police Station.

On March 4, 2015, 6:30 pm, the same law enforcement unit in coordination with Municipal Police Station, Provincial Intelligence Branch, Camarines Norte Provincial Public Safety Company and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) implemented a search warrant issued by the Honorable Arniel A. Dating, Presiding Judge of Regional Trial Court Branch 41, Daet, Camarines Norte against Ariel Quinoñes y Loveria, 36, businessman, in his residence of Purok 2, Brgy. Mancruz, Daet, Camarines Norte that resulted in his arrest.

Seized during the operation were 15 pieces of heat-sealed transparent sachets of suspected shabu weighing approximately 15 grams, one piece of unsealed transparent plastic sachet of shabu and various drug paraphernalia.

Quinoñes is under the custody of Daet Municipal Police Station, while cases for violation of Sections 11 and 12, Article II of RA 9165 are now being prepared for filing in court against him.

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