CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines — The son of a local politician who was arrested for illegal drugs is now awaiting a commitment order from the court before transfer to a prison facility, an official from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-3 (PDEA-3) said Friday.
PDEA-3 information officer Glenn Guillermo said Sean Moreno, 43, the eldest son of Mayor Oscar Moreno, and his seven companions will be brought to the Angeles City Jail once the court issues the commitment order.
“We are just waiting for the commitment order. They are still in the custody of the PDEA,” Guillermo said, referring to the suspects, who are confined at the DPEA regional office in San Fernando City, Pampanga.
Guillermo said the city prosecutor’s office has already released a resolution endorsing the case to the court on July 2, Tuesday.
He said the younger Moreno and the other respondents are facing charges for violation of Section 5 of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, for alleged selling of illegal substances.
Sean Moreno was arrested during a drug buy-bust operation carried out by PDEA-3 inside a hotel in Angeles on June 27.
Confiscated during the operation were 310 tablets of ecstasy; five capsules of Dimethyl Tripticase; a plastic bottle containing 100 tablets of Valium; three plastic sachets containing suspected kush, described as a more potent cannabis variety; a plastic sachet containing some 0.75 grams of cocaine; and a weighing scale.
Authorities estimated the street value of the seized illicit drugs at P1 million.
Arrested with Sean were Bernice Fabiosa, 21; Ma. Isabel Lawas, 19; Aileen Baldon, 23; Jaime Mendoza, 20; Jessa Scott, 19; Bernadeth Saavedra, 19, and Gregorio Imperial, 26. All are residents of Angeles.
Guillermo said the mayor’s son only revealed his relationship with Moreno when he was asked by PDEA-3 investigators.
“He has confirmed that he is a son of [Moreno], and that he felt ashamed of the embarrassment he has brought to his family,” the PDEA-3 official added.
Guillermo said Sean already has a legal counsel although he did not give the name of the lawyer.
Moreno, on Wednesday, said in a statement he will provide legal support for Sean.
“Even if he has gone astray, Sean is still my son, whom I took very special care since his birth. I deeply regret the situation that Sean is in now. I will endlessly continue to struggle thinking about what led him to this,” the mayor added. (davaotoday.com)
