DAGUPAN CITY – (UPDATED 3:04 P.M) The contents of a plastic container found by four fishermen from Infanta town floating in mid-sea last Aug. 27, may not be methamphetamine hydrochloride as first suspected, police said.
Chief Inspector Manuel Garcia Jr., chief of police of Infanta, was quoted in a Bombo Radyo Dagupan report as saying he received a call from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Pangasinan. The latter informed him that based on laboratory test results, the plastic container’s contents were negative of methamphetamine hydrochloride and of other substances used in making shabu.
Nonetheless, confirmatory tests will still have to be done in PDEA’s main office in Manila.
Garcia had turned over Friday the container and its contents to PDEA Pangasinan Agent Dexter Asayco in the presence of Infanta Mayor Marvin Martinez, Supt. Marlon Canam, police deputy provincial director for administration, policemen from the intelligence branch, among others.
The container and its contents will still be sent to PDEA Manila for further confirmatory tests.
Fishermen found a gray plastic container with more or less 20 kilos of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu floating somewhere in the waters off the boundary of Pangasinan and La Union while fishing last Aug. 27.
Upon reaching their home port of Cato in Infanta town, the fishermen immediately reported the matter to Barangay Captain Charlito Manigo of Cato, who immediately called the Infanta police.
The village chief then turned over the suspected drugs to the Infanta police.
According to the Pangasinan Police Provincial Office (PPPO), the plastic container was found by Juriel Murcia, Junreh Labesores, David Guatno and Javito Salvador, all of Barangay Cato, Infanta, while fishing in the West Philippine Sea area.
The four said they found the plastic container floating in the waters between the provinces of Pangasinan and La Union while on board their fishing vessel.
The container was subsequently turned over Friday to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) through Agent Dexter Asayco for proper disposition.
The turnover was witnessed by Infanta Mayor Marvin Martinez, Supt, Marlon Canam, deputy police provincial director for administration, and elements of the Police Intelligence branch, Provincial Public Safety Company and other police units.