SURIGAO CITY (MindaNews / 1 Dec) – A raiding team from the Police Regional Intelligence Division Unit arrested a dismissed police officer and a companion during a drug buy-bust operation here Thursday afternoon.
Arrested at Purok 7, Barangay San Juan was ex-PO3 Frederick P. Cosmiano, 41, who was previously assigned at the Surigao City Intelligence Division. Nabbed with him was Junie Estoque Matin-ao, 40.
The former policeman was caught in possession of a large size of heat-sealed plastic sachet containing suspected of shabu.
The operation was led by Supt. Marlou L. Martinez, of Regional Intelligence Division 13, in coordination with Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Caraga.
Supt. Noel Silvosa, city police chief, declined to comment on the arrest of their former colleague.
Silvosa prevented members of the media to interview the suspect.
Cosmiano is now temporarily detained at the Surigao City Police Office detention cell while waiting for appropriate charges to be filed against him.
Police officers in Surigao City told MindaNews that Cosmiano was dismissed from service last September when he was found to be positive of shabu.
Last November 4, two active policemen in Surigao City were arrested at an inn during a buy-bust operation.
The two cops, identified as PO1 Arnel Galve Odog and PO2 Ronnie Capanpan Custodio, are now behind bars.
Odog was a member of PNP-Maritime Group assigned in Surigao City while Custodio was with the Tagana-an Municipal Police Station. (Roel N. Catoto / MindaNews)