The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency has arrested a drug group leader —described by officials as a “high value target”—in a buy-bust operation in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan by PDEA and the Philippine National Police.
Director General Aaron Aquino identified the suspect as Jonjie Pentecostes, 44, of Barangay Paradise, a first class municipality of Gonzaga.
Pentecostes, nabbed at a cockpit arena on Monday, is the son of the newly elected Gonzaga mayor, Marilyn Pentecostes.
He was arrested by PDEA four years ago but was acquitted due to technicalities.
Last June 9 at 6:30 a.m., joint elements of PDEA and the local police conducted a buy-bust at the Vargas cockpit arena, Barangay Pengue Ruyu, Tuguegarao City that resulted in the arrest of Pentecostes.
Pentecostes is a target-listed drug personality.
He yielded one piece of heat-sealed transparent plastic sachet of suspected 0.7 gram of shabu worth P4,900.
Officials said he would be charged with violation of Section 5 (Sale of Dangerous Drugs), Article II of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.
According to PDEA, Jonjie is the leader of the notorious “JJ” drug group and considered as high-value target included in President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug list.
Officials said the PDEA, in cooperation with the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, had been monitoring the suspect’s lifestyle and activities following the reports that he was behind the illegal drug trading in the province.
Seized from the suspect was 1-piece heat sealed transparent plastic sachet suspected to be shabu weighing 0.7 grams with an estimated market value of P4,900.00 and two pieces genuine P1,000.00 bill used as buy-bust money.
Officials said Pentecostes, now under police custody, tested positive in a drug test conducted after his arrest. A lifestyle check was also conducted since the suspect seemed to live in luxury.
Last year, Jonjie and his brother were also arrested for illegal possession of firearms. Jonjie, who has been in the narco list since 2016, surrendered to the PNP’s Oplan Tokhang but continued his illegal drugs trading activities until his recent arrest.