Valenzuela anti-drug official nabbed for ‘watchlist for sale’

MANILA, Philippines — A barangay anti-drug abuse council coordinator in Valenzuela was arrested for allegedly extorting money from a drug user to remove his name from the watchlist.

Saturnino Santiago faces graft and direct bribery charges for allegedly extorting P18,000 from a drug user who was admitted in the community’s drug rehabilitation program.

He was arrested in an entrapment operation set up by the National Bureau of Investigation at Paso de Blas last Sunday.

It was the NBI’s first time to implement an entrapment involving a purported drugs watchlist for sale, an official said.

Santiago faced inquest proceedings for direct bribery and graft.