A policeman who has been AWOL (absent without official leave) since 2011 was among three men arrested for using illegal drugs in Malabon City.
PO1 Virgilio Sayaman, 33, a resident of Libis Espina Street, Caloocan City; Roger Manoco, a 49-year-old electrician; and Randy Cheng, 41, were caught in the act of using “shabu” (methamphetamine hydrochloride) on Wednesday in Manoco’s house on Hasa-Hasa Street in Dagat-Dagatan, Malabon City.
A police team and representatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency went to the house after they received a tip about an ongoing drug session from an informant. Seized from the suspects were drug paraphernalia such as a water pipe and pieces of aluminum foil, a police uniform, a police identification card as well as other ID cards and a gun license.
Upon further investigation, the Malabon police discovered that Sayaman had been AWOL since 2011. He used to be with the Regional Public Safety Battalion of the Police Regional Office 3 based in Camp Olivas, San Fernando, Pampanga.—Nathaniel R. Melican