Young actor, 3 others caught smoking marijuana

CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga, Philippines – A young actor and three others were arrested by combined operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Angeles City Public Safety Company and 302nd Air Force intelligence unit while allegedly in the act of smoking marijuana during an international music festival at Clark Freeport last Sunday.

PDEA-Region 3 director Jeofrey Tacio identified three of the four arrested as Keith Thompson, of the TV series “Galema”; Juan Paulo Serafica, 19; and Geano Dionisio, 23. The fourth is a minor aged 17.

Tacio said a stainless box containing suspected dried marijuana leaves and a lighter was confiscated from Thompson, while Dionisio yielded a marijuana stick, and Serafica, a transparent plastic sachet containing a blue tablet suspected to be Valium, and a smoking pipe with marijuana residue.

Tacio said charges of possession and use of dangerous drugs were being prepared against those arrested.

The 17-year-old teenager was turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development. Although a minor, Tacio said he is also liable under Republic Act 9344 or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006.

Authorities also invited three others, including a 16-year-old, but subsequently released them.