Massage therapist charged for drug trade

By Felipe V. Celino

ROXAS CITY, Capiz – A massage therapist who was arrested on Saturday evening, May 11, in a drug buy-bust operation conducted by police at Brgy. Cabugao Este, Panay, Capiz, was charged with illegal drug trade.

The Panay Municipal Police Station filed charges on Monday morning, May 13, for violating RA 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 against Maria Angelica Buhat, 29, of Brgy. Poblacion Ilaya, Panay town, before the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.

The operation was conducted around 10:28 p.m. by the Station Drug Enforcement Team (SDET) from Panitan, Panay, and Maayon Municipal Police Stations, leading to Buhat’s arrest.

Recovered from the suspect were three sachets of suspected shabu, including the item bought by the police poseur-buyer and P1,500 in buy-bust money. The recovered illegal drugs weighed 1 gram with an estimated standard price of P6,800.

According to Police Captain Ronald Ton-ogan, Panay police chief, the operation took three weeks of monitoring and surveillance before it was conducted. He said the suspect is a new street-level individual target who sourced her supply from Roxas City and sold it to her clients in Panay town.

The suspect is presently under the custody of the Panay PNP station for proper disposition.