MANILA, Philippines -- An agent of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PEDEA) gave on Monday a blow-by-blow account of the arrest of Mandaluyong mayoral candidate Ernest Albert Buan in a hearing before a Pasig court.

Intelligence Officer 2 Lorenzo Advincula appeared before Judge Abraham Borreta of Pasig Regional Trial Court Branch 154 to recount the details behind Buan's arrest during a buy-bust operation by undercover narcotics agents in January.

Advincula was the prosecution's last witness for the presentation of its evidence in relation to the petition for bail that Buan had filed. The prosecution is trying to prove that its evidence is strong to justify Buan's continued detention.

The witness told the court he served as the ?backup arresting officer? to PDEA agent John Jerme Almerino, who had posed as the buyer of cocaine, and an unnamed confidential informant during the operation.

Advincula recalled the chronology of events from the PDEA team's planning in their office to the stakeout near a fastfood chain branch in Tiendesitas, in which he saw Buan and Almerino enter Buan's vehicle with the informant standing outside.

He said that upon the pre-arranged signal ? a missed call ? sent by Almerino, he, along with other agents, ran to the vehicle with his gun drawn, and upon seeing that there was no threat, placed it in the holster.

?He looked shocked,? Advincula said of Buan. He said he introduced himself to Buan as a PDEA agent, told him he was being arrested for drug pushing and advised him of his right to remain silent and immediately get his lawyer.

Upon cross examination by the defense lawyer, the witness also admitted that at the time, he had no personal knowledge of the supposed transaction between Buan and Almerino.

The cross examination will resume on March 18. Trial prosecutor Luther Ponpon told the court they had no more witnesses after Advincula.