By Alexander Lopez

DRUG BUST. Authorities arrest drug personalities, including a casual employee of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office of Surigao del Norte, in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Taft, Surigao City, on Tuesday (June 3, 2025). Authorities seized around 115 grams of shabu valued at PHP782,000 from the suspects. (Photo courtesy of PDEA-13)

BUTUAN CITY – A casual employee of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office in Surigao del Norte, along with two other individuals, was arrested during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Taft, Surigao City on Tuesday.

In a report on Wednesday, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Caraga Region (PDEA-13) stated a total of 115 grams of shabu with an estimated street value of PHP782,000 were seized from the suspects during the operation.

“The buy-bust was successfully conducted thanks to valuable information shared by a concerned citizen, which directly led to the arrest of the suspects,” the agency said.

PDEA-13 withheld the names of the suspects but confirmed that they are now in their custody and are being processed for the formal filing of appropriate criminal charges.

“The operation initially targeted the sale of 50 grams of suspected shabu. Subsequent searches recovered seven more sachets containing approximately 35 grams, and an additional sachet with around 30 grams of suspected shabu,” the report indicated.

The suspects will be facing charges for violation of Republic Act 9165, also known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. (PNA)