PDEA vows: No Samar cocaine to reach Metro

MANILA, Philippines - Officials of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency yesterday vowed to “slam the doors of Metro Manila to Samar-cocaine” even as it presented to media five cocaine dealers recently arrested for selling cocaine salvaged from the waters off the coast of Samar in December last year.

PDEA chief Dionisio Santiago identified the suspects as Delia Placiente, Jordan Sorio, Sandy Lucban, Noel Bartolome and PO1 Rodelio Rania. The drug dealers were arrested separately in buy-bust operations conducted by PDEA agents in different cities in Metro Manila.

Santiago said he is saddened that despite repeated appeal and warnings to the public, certain persons still keep the drugs waiting for a time they could sell them. Santiago said the suspects were “hardcore dealers” like PO1 Rania and his sidekick Bartolome, who were arrested in their neighborhood in Pasay City. Sorio and Lucban, Santiago said, had the gall to transact their illegal business right in front of the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP) in Muntinlupa City.

Santiago also cited the case of Placiente, who was arrested in Barangay Commonwealth. He said Placiente appeared to have “gambled” on the opportunity to “hit it big” by selling cocaine to keep her family out of grinding poverty.

“I hope her case will serve as a deterrent to others who wish to do the same,” Santiago said.

He said that mere possession of illegal drugs is already a criminal offense. He added that the act of selling these drugs only to aggravate the case.