From good to bad: ‘Good Samaritan’ fisherman nabbed for cocaine

MANILA, Philippines – A fisherman, who surrendered 34 bricks of cocaine to authorities on last February, was arrested Thursday evening after yielding another four bricks of the banned drug.

The Police Regional Office 13 (PRO-13)  said Ronie Arpilleda Navales, 48, of Tandag City was tagged as a “Good Samaritan” when he and a fellow fisherman turned over 34 bricks of cocaine they found off the coast of Surigao del Sur to authorities last Feb. 23.

READ :34 bricks of suspected cocaine recovered off Surigao del Sur coast

Navales, however, kept six other bricks of cocaine, thinking he could sell it to drug users.

Police placed Navales under surveillance after receiving reports that the cocaine was being sold in Surigao del Sur.

When Navales sensed that he was under surveillance, he surrendered the four bricks of cocaine to police.

He said the two other bricks were flushed in the toilet.

Navales was taken to the Tandag City police station for proper disposition and will be charged with violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

The bricks of cocaine were turned over to Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Caraga. /gsg