VALENCIA CITY, Bukidnon — A sales manager of a funeral home in Valencia City was arrested in a drug buy-bust operation conducted by the City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU) of the Philippine National Police, in coordination with CADSUT-Valencia.
Police identified the suspect as alias “Gerwin,” 38, a marketing/sales manager of Villanueva Funeral Homes in Valencia City. He was apprehended at around 4:42 p.m. in Purok 10, Barangay Poblacion, following an operation that authorities said was based on prior surveillance and intelligence reports.
According to the police, the suspect was allegedly caught in the act of selling illegal drugs to an undercover operative. Confiscated from his possession were suspected illegal drugs with an estimated street value of ₱37,400, along with marked money used in the transaction.
Authorities said the suspect also uses the alias “Jake” and is believed to have been residing in the same area where the operation was conducted.
During initial questioning, the suspect reportedly claimed that he was forced into selling illegal drugs due to financial difficulties, saying his income from the funeral parlor was insufficient to support his family. Police emphasized, however, that economic hardship does not justify involvement in illegal drug activities.
The suspect is currently under police custody and will face charges for violation of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. Further investigation is ongoing to determine whether he has accomplices or is part of a larger drug network operating in the city.
Police reiterated their commitment to intensifying anti-illegal drug operations, stressing that no profession or social status exempts anyone from the law.