Charges up vs SK chairman who skirted drug buy-bust

By Jennifer P. Rendon

Charges for violation of Republic Act 9165  (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002) are up against a Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) chairman who fled from a police anti-narcotics operation on Oct 19, 2022 in Passi City, Iloilo.

Twenty-year-old Felix Gumban of Barangay Agtambo, Passi City, escaped the buy-bust operation at around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Gumban allegedly sold a sachet of suspected shabu to a police poseur buyer for P500.

But before he could be arrested, the suspect got a hunch that he was dealing with police authorities.

Gumban immediately boarded his motorcycle and fled.

But when police were about to corner him, the suspect alighted from his motorcycle and ran away. He then jumped into a nearby river.

Lieutenant Colonel Dennis Pamonag, Passi City police chief, said police operatives found it hard to run after the suspect as he may have headed to a sugarcane plantation.

Pamonag said that surveillance operations were launched against Gumban several weeks ago after previously arrested drug peddlers revealed that he was their source.

It was gathered that Gumban sourced his supply from Iloilo City.

A newly-identified drug personality, Gumban has no prior infraction with the law, based on police records.