PDEA-led teams nab alleged drug lord in Ifugao

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya - A major drug ring in the highland province of Ifugao is believed busted after joint anti-narcotic teams led by Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Cordillera Administrative Region (PDEA-CAR) operatives arrested a suspected drug lord during a raid on his house in Lagawe town on Wednesday night. PDEA senior agent and team leader Jeoffrey Tacio identified the suspect as Eduardo Dinamling, whose known base of operations is at his residence in Lagawe town’s Kuta village, only a few meters away from the provincial capitol compound. Dinamling, an alleged big time pusher who is said to be operating in the eastern parts of the Cordillera region, was arrested after surveillance activities were conducted by PDEA-CAR agents for two months. Found after a house search in the presence of the village chief were eight sachets of shabu, including three in his possession, weighing around 2 grams, six cellphones, bundled cash worth P40,000 hidden inside a shoe, and drug paraphernalia scattered around the house and its perimeter. Recovered from the alleged drug lord were a 45-caliber pistol, a .22-caliber five-shooter mini-revolver, assorted ammunition, a samurai-style sword, and a hunting knife. The successful operation against Dinamling was conducted based on information from concerned residents in the area who had complained of the proliferation of drug users, including government employees, Tacio told GMANews.TV. “We have information that employees from national line agencies and even municipal workers regularly visit Dinamling’s house where pot sessions occur on a regular basis," he said. Kuta village residents have been so used to illegal activities, including gambling, at the suspect’s house that it eventually became a regular activity, he added. “We cannot allow these things to continue, if activities like this are not stopped, more families will suffer," he said. PDEA-CAR led the operation dubbed “Oplan Uno" against Dinamling and his cohorts with teams coming from the Army’s 54th Infantry Battalion based in Kiangan town and the Lagawe police force. The PDEA agents served a search warrant issued by Judge Merianthe Zuraek of Regional Trial Court branch 29 in Bayombong town in neighboring Nueva Vizcaya province. Dinamling’s wife told GMAnews.TV that she had always warned her husband that the law will eventually catch up with him but to no avail. “I knew this day will come, I have warned him so many times but he would not listen to me," she said. Reports reaching PDEA showed that shabu users in Nueva Vizcaya source their supply in Ifugao province which in turn gets its stash from Santiago City in Isabela. The suspected drug dealer is now under the custody of Lagawe police while charges are being readied against him for violating Republic Act 9165 otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drug Act of 2002. - RJAB Jr./JV, GMANews.TV