MANILA, Philippines - Operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) arrested two village officials,who peddle methamphetamine hydrochloride, locally known as shabu, in separate buy-bust operations in Leyte and Negros Occidental.
PDEA Director General Arturo Cacdac Jr. identified the suspects as Jason Camasin, 40, an incumbent councilor of Barangay Bagacay East, Lapaz, Leyte; and Arniel Campanel, 45, a councilor of Sunrise Village, Barangay Blumentritt, Murcia, Negros Occidental.
Reports said that last October 4, around 7 a.m., elements of PDEA Regional Office 8 (PDEA RO8) arrested Camasin after he sold a sachet containing white crystalline substance suspected to be shabu, to an undercover PDEA agent in Barangay Sta. Elena, Lapaz, Leyte.
Camasin also yielded another sachet of the illegal drug, a motorcycle and the P500 marked bill used as buy-bust money during the operation.
Three hours later, operatives of PDEA Regional Office 6 (PDEA RO6) conducted an entrapment operation that led to the arrest of Campanel in his own neighborhood in Barangay Blumentritt.
Confiscated from his possession were eight sachets containing suspected shabu.
The two councilors are now facing drug raps.