Bukidnon teacher nabbed for alleged ‘shabu’

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY –– A public school teacher was arrested by a joint team of police and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) operatives during a buy-bust operation in Damulog town, Bukidnon on Thursday.

A report provided by Wilkins Villanueva, PDEA 10 regional director, said the arresting team handcuffed Rey Sungahid, a Grade 9 teacher at Old Damulog National High School.

Seized from Sungahid, a resident of Purok 2, Barangay New Compostela in Damulog, were four plastic sachets containing what law enforcers believed was “shabu” weighing two grams.

Villanueva said the suspect has been invited by both PDEA and police to undergo the community-based drug rehabilitation program (CBDRP), but “he continued to live his old ways.”

Maj. Silvestre Asiong, Bukidnon police information officer, said before his arrest, Sungahid was on the police watch list since he allegedly started using and selling crystal meth in 2015.

Asiong said aside from teaching, the suspect has a legitimate business transporting and selling fruits, but he used his truck allegedly to traffick the illegal substance.

Asiong said that before his arrest, village officials in New Compostela complained that Sungahid joined only one CBDRP session and dropped out, indicating his refusal to renounce his old ways.

“It was then that we decided to subject him to a buy-bust operation,” Asiong revealed.

Asiong said they also received reports the suspect has been selling illicit drugs to his students and fellow teachers.

With Sungahid’s arrest, Villanueva said the PDEA is pushing for the implementation of random drug testing not only for students but for teachers as well./lzb