Suspected marijuana dealer yields PDEA ID

MANILA, Philippines - Authorities are now investigating one of the two suspected marijuana dealers caught in La Union province with an identification card of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA). Reports reaching Camp Crame identified the arrested suspects as Randy Oriente Ordinario and Ariel Oballes, both native of Santol, Ilocos Sur. They were arrested Friday while riding in tandem on a motorcycle at a checkpoin in Maharlika Highway, Sudipen, La Union. The two men are reportedly members of a drug syndicate operating in Regions 1 and 2. During a routine check, the two men yielded several high grade dried marijuana leaves in brick form, two magazine clips of .45 caliber, five live bullets, two mobile phones and a sweatshirt bearing the PNP logo. Police also seized from Ordinario a PDEA ID. After verification, authorities found out that Ordinario is not connected with the government anti-narcotics agency. Ordinario claimed that a ranking official of PDEA in region 1 has issued him the ID. The arrest on the two men came following a month-long surveillance operations where PDEA informants were able to buy marijuana from the suspects. - GMANews.TV