BY BOY RYAN ZABAL
KALIBO, Aklan – A 26-year-old Boracay Island waiter was arrested in a buy-bust operation on Wednesday evening on Osmeña Avenue, Barangay Estancia here.
Identified as Kenneth Dela, the suspect is originally from Barangay Baybay, Roxas City, Capiz and was temporarily residing in Sitio Sinagpa, Barangay Balabag, Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan.
During the operation, a poseur buyer exchanged P6,000 in marked money with Dela, who in turn handed over a sachet containing a white crystalline substance suspected to be shabu.
This transaction led to his immediate arrest by the operatives of the Aklan Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit (PDEU) and the Kalibo municipal police.
A subsequent body search of the suspect revealed an additional 16 sachets of shabu, stored inside a small box.
According to the police, Dela had just received these drugs, which were transported from Roxas City by a passenger van.
Major Frensy Andrade, chief of the Aklan PDEU, said Dela had been under surveillance for over two weeks. He described the suspect as a key figure in the local drug scene, known as “Boss”, and reported to have several runners distributing drugs in Boracay Island.
The substances confiscated during the operation have been sent for laboratory examination.
Dela faces charges for the sale and possession of dangerous drugs under Sections 5 and 11, Article II of Republic Act No. 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002./PN
