High school student falls in drug sting; laments failure to attend graduation rites

By Jennifer P. Rendon

Two weeks ago, a 21-year-old senior high school jeered a young couple who was arrested in a police anti-narcotics operation.

And it wasn’t long before the scoffing turned on Edmar Peñafiel, as he, too, was collared for the same violation.

Members of the Pototan Municipal Police Station, together with the Iloilo Police Provincial Office-Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit (IPPO-PDEU), 2nd Iloilo Provincial Mobile Force Company (IPMFC), and the Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RFMB) 6 arrested Peñafiel in a buy-bust operation 5:35 p.m. of July 10 at Barangay Cato-ogan, Pototan, Iloilo.

Peñafiel is facing charges for allegedly selling a sachet of suspected shabu for P1,000 to a police poseur-buyer.

When he was later frisked, police operatives seized 10 more sachets of suspected shabu and P1,200 cash.

Major Roy Tayona, Pototan police chief, said they placed Peñafiel under surveillance after he was reported to be engaging in illegal drugs.

Following his arrest, Peñafiel confirmed that he was peddling shabu in exchange for cellphone load top-up money.

Tayona said the suspect was initially concerned about not being able to attend his graduation ceremony.

But the following day, “maybe, it has started to sink into him that he would not be able to celebrate more occasions with his family and friends,” Tayona said.

The suspect was shedding tears while talking to his father on Tuesday.

Peñafiel was charged for violation of Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002) before the Iloilo Provincial Prosecutors Office.