BUENAVISTA, Agusan del Norte — Police seized approximately 26.8 grams of suspected shabu valued at ₱182,240 and arrested a 29-year-old man during an anti-illegal drug operation conducted through the implementation of a search warrant in Barangay Sangay, Buenavista, Agusan del Norte, on October 18, 2026.
The operation was carried out by the Buenavista Municipal Police Station (MPS), in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Caraga (PDEA-13), at Purok 5, Nacan-an, Barangay Sangay.
According to the Agusan del Norte Police Provincial Office (ADNPPO), the seized suspected illegal drugs, locally known as shabu, had an estimated standard drug price value of ₱182,240. Police also recovered drug paraphernalia during the operation.
The arrested individual was identified only by the alias “Edi,” 29, male, married, unemployed, and a resident of the area where the search warrant was implemented. Police classified him as a street-level individual (SLI) in their anti-illegal drug campaign.
Police Colonel Ruel M. Cagape, provincial director of the ADNPPO, disclosed the arrest and seizure as part of the province’s continuing efforts to suppress illegal drug activities and strengthen local peace and security operations.
Authorities said the suspect was informed of his constitutional rights in a language or dialect he understood. He is currently under the custody of the Buenavista MPS while facing a complaint for the alleged violation of Section 11, Article II of Republic Act No. 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, which penalizes the unauthorized possession of dangerous drugs.
Representatives from the Department of Justice, members of the media, and barangay officials were present as witnesses during the operation.
The seized suspected shabu and drug paraphernalia are expected to form part of the evidence in the case against the arrested individual.
Authorities have yet to disclose further details regarding the investigation and the subsequent legal proceedings.
The arrest underscores the continuing enforcement efforts of local police and anti-drug authorities against the possession and distribution of illegal drugs in Agusan del Norte. The suspect, however, remains entitled to the presumption of innocence unless proven guilty before a court of law.