Police operatives arrested a government surgeon, alleged to be the supplier of illegal drugs to a certain LGBT community, in a buy-bust operation conducted in Barangay 28-C, Poblacion District pre-dawn yesterday.
Maj. Mike Uyanguren, the commander of the operating Sta. Ana Police Station, identified the suspect as Dr. John Perrett Olivar Herrera, 33, single, and resident of New Matina, Gravahan, Davao City.
Herrera is a resident doctor of the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC).
Uyanguran said the suspect, considered as a high-value target, is in the Directorate for Intelligence Drugs Watchlist
“We conducted two-month surveillance (against the doctor),” the police commander said, adding that Herrera’s name usually came up in their previous investigations on other arrested drug suspects.
During the operation along Suazo Street at 3:05 a.m. yesterday, an undercover police operative was able to buy a sachet of shabu from the suspect for P1,000.
The operative immediately arrested the suspect.
Also seized from his possession was another sachet of shabu, P10,000 cash, a cellular phone and a disposable syringe containing suspected liquidized shabu.
The suspect’s Toyota Vios, bearing plate # TOJ 320, was also impounded.
The confiscated illegal drugs weight around 0.2500 grams with an estimated street market value of P10,000.
He is now detained at the Sta. Ana Police as charges for violation of Republic Act 9165 are now being prepared.
Uyanguren said most of Herrera’s patrons are members of the gay community and people he met on the social media, particularly in the Grindr app, said to be the largest social network for gay, bi, trans, and queer people.
He said the arrest of the physician will minimize the circulation of illegal drugs within the downtown area of the city.
“With this accomplishment, the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) will stop at nothing to fortuitously attain these personalities and will prevail in robust conduct of operations and surveillance,” the DCPO said in a statement.
