An elected youth official and his two companions were arrested in a buy-bust operation conducted by the city police in Barrio Obrero, Barangay 18-B, Poblacion District yesterday morning.
Chief Insp. Michael Uyanguren, the commander of Sta. Ana Police Precinct, identified the official as Hideki Nuchefranca Hernando, 21, the number one Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) councilor of Barangay 18-B.
Hernando’s two companions were identified as Majier Ferrer Bagheri, 23, of Orchids Street, Barangay Buhangin Proper, Buhangin District, and Ajay Cablles Cuevas, 18, of Ingan Garden Village in Barangay Tigatto, Buhangin District.
Uyanguren said the three male suspects are new on their drug watch list.
However, the group was considered as priority because Hernando is a barangay official.
“One is considered as high value target (because) he is an elected SK councilor,” Uyanguren said.
With the coordination of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) XI, the station’s drug enforcement unit, led by Sr. Insp. Leo Arvin Alce, conducted the operation after they received reports on the involvement of the youth official in the illegal drug trade.
Yesterday at around 5 a.m. in Inigo Street, Bario Obrero, an undercover operative was able to buy dried marijuana fruiting tops for P100 from Hernando and Bagheri.
During the transaction, the third suspect Cuevas was also arrested for possessing five sachets containing suspected dried marijuana powder.
The buy-bust money was recovered from Bagheri.
The confiscated drug items, estimated to weigh at 1.05 grams, have a street value of P400.
Uyanguren said Bagheri, also known as Masher, is a subject of Oplan R.A.T.S. Tugis, the campaign of the Davao City Police office against robbery and theft suspects, because he has been involved in thievery cases in the city.
The three suspects are now under the custody of the Sta. Ana Police Precinct pending the filing of formal charges before the court for violation of RA 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002).
