Father, son operating drug den face raps

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Officials of the Philippine Drug Enforcement 12 have filed criminal cases against a now-detained father and his son, together operating a drug den, both entrapped in Malapatan town in Sarangani last weekend.

Besides the 42-year-old father, identified only as Jorhan, and his 20-year-old son, Thotho, also arrested during the entrapment operation, is a certain Denver, 35, then buying from the duo 1,000 worth of shabu in their drug den in Barangay Sapu Padidu in Malapatan.

Charlene Magdurulang, director of PDEA 12, told reporters on Tuesday that the suspects had been charged with violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

"They are now awaiting prosecution in court," Magdurulang said.

Jorhan and his son were immediately detained by PDEA-12 agents and policemen after selling to them P40,000 worth of shabu during a tradeoff in the premises of their drug den in Barangay Sapu Padidu.

Magdurulang said the operation that led to the arrest of Jorhan and Thoto and confiscation from them of P40,000 worth of shabu was based on reports by local executives and residents of Barangay Sapu Padidu about their operation of a drug den where they facilitated pot sessions of buyers of their illegal merchandise.

Under state law, operation of a drug den is a non-bailable criminal offense.