By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

A high-value drug target was nabbed Saturday morning by operatives from the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office-Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit (NOPPO-PDEU) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Region VI (PDEA-6) in Barangay Nanunga, Hinigaran, Negros Occidental.

PDEA agents identified the suspect as Momer Prudente, a resident of the said area.

Hinigaran municipal police chief, Police Chief Inspector Jake Barila, said Prudente is a member of the Ramos Drug Group, a local drug syndicate operating in the area.

Law enforcement recovered one big and one elongated sachet of suspected shabu from the suspect, as well as the P1,000 marked money.

Barila added, Prudente faces charges in violation of Sections 5 and 11 of RA 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Last September, Hinigaran Mayor Jose Nadie Arceo claimed Jessie Ramos, the top drug personality operating in the municipality, fled town, which he credited to the appointment of Barila as police chief.

Barila was named municipal police chief after Arceo complained about his previous police chief,  Police Senior Inspector Lawrence Bathan, who was the third police chief the mayor requested relieved from the post./DGB, WDJ