By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

An alleged member of the Camaria Caunda Drug Group was arrested by operatives from the City Drug Enforcement Unit of the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) during a buy-bust operation in Barangay 30 early yesterday morning.

Police arrested Marlon “Mar-Mar” Pango, a resident of Purok Pilipinhon in the said village, around 1:48 a.m.

They recovered eight plastic bags and eight sachets of suspected shabu weighing 640 grams, amounting to P4.3 million.

BCPO spokesperson, Lt. Colonel Ronnie Brillo said they have been monitoring Pango, tagged as a high-value individual, for weeks after his name surfaced as among the alleged members of the Caunda Drug Group, the lone drug syndicate operating in Bacolod.

A background check also revealed that he had served jail time for illegal drugs.

Meanwhile, Pango’s family denied that the suspect was involved in illegal drug activities, claiming that the suspected illegal substances were all planted.

His live-in partner claimed that during the operation, the lights went out.

When it was turned back on, the suspected illegal drugs were already on the table.

However, the claims were immediately shut down by Barangay 30 chairman Niño Petierre, stating that it has become a norm that whenever he appears to serve as a witness in an anti-drug operation in his village, they always claim that the drugs were planted.

Petierre added that the operation was legitimate.

Pango is now detained at Police Station 6, and is facing charges for violating Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002./With reports from PNA / DGB, WDJ