A casual employee of the National Irrigation Authority (NIA) was arrested by joint operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in a drug buy-bust operation in Tagbilaran City on Wednesday night.

The suspect, identified by authorities as Joven Daguplo, a 22-year-old native of Barangay Poblacion, Sierra Bullones, was allegedly caught in possession of shabu worth P74,800.

In a report, the NBI said that Daguplo sold shabu worth P1,000 to a poseur-buyer during a staged drug transaction along Peñaflor Street in Barangay Booy, leading to his immediate arrest.

According to NBI Bohol supervising agent Atty. Renan Oliva, Daguplo pinpointed Albert John Bernaldez, a native of Guindulman and a third-year law student, as his drug source.

The NBI and PDEA later in the day subjected Bernaldez to a drug buy-bust operation which led to his arrest also in Tagbilaran City.

Authorities said that Bernaldez was studying when an undercover agent bought shabu from him worth P1,000 at his boarding house along Janssen Heights in Barangay Dampas.

He was immediately arrested by the NBI-PDEA composite team which also allegedly found 22 sachets of shabu inside his room.

The seized drugs were estimated to be worth P17,000 based on the value set by the Dangerous Drugs Board.

Both Daguplo and Bernaldez remained under NBI custody pending the filing of illegal drug charges against them. (wm)