DAVAO ORIENTAL – Governor Nelson L. Dayanghirang personally handed over cash reward worth P30,000 each to the two fishermen who discovered and surrendered to the authorities the 36 blocks of cocaine last February they found off the coast of Barangay Santiago, Municipality of Caraga here.

During the Provincial Anti-Drugs Abuse Council’s third monthly meeting held at Oriental Prince Suites and Arcades on March 29, 2019, Alberto, one of the two fishermen, expressed his gratitude to the Governor for the reward they did not expect.

Along with his companion fisherman Roel, who also received a cash reward, Alberto found the bricks of cocaine tangled on their fishing net and floating off the coast of Barangay Santiago.

PADAC Action Officer and Provincial Administrator Art Benjie C. Bulaong considered the two fishermen as instrumental to province’s anti-drug efforts. He said giving incentives like this will also encourage more people’s support and cooperation.

According to Senior Inspector Fidelito Viola, the estimated cost of the 36  bricks of cocaine would reach up to a whopping P200 million.

Gov. Dayanghirang congratulated the residents and village officials of Barangay Santiago and expressed his gratitude to the local police, Philippine Navy and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency for their immediate response on the incident

Council members planned to institutionalize the reward system to those individuals who have found courage to report valuable intelligence reports to the authorities related to illegal drugs.

To recall, dozens of similar dangerous drug bricks worth millions of pesos were also found on the month of February in Dinagat and Siargao Islands, and provinces of Surigao del Sur, Camarines Norte and Quezon. Photos by Eden Jhan Licayan