Danao City police chief, Supt. Larson Decheno, led the operation, in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-7, via a search warrant that Regional Trial Court judge Meinrado Paredes had earlier issued.
The suspect, 21-year-old Thomas Russel Sanchez Jr., was initially present during the search that were also witnessed by Poblacion councilman Roland Reyes and city mayor's secretary Jose Thaddeus Roble Jr.
The two officials affirmed that the search was done politely and orderly but when the packets of shabu were found from a ceramic figurine inside the house, the operatives failed to notice that Sanchez already slipped out of the house.
Sanchez, upon learning that the hidden drugs were found already, got stealthily out of the house's back door.
The seized drugs, estimated to weigh a total of 0.4 grams, were immediately turned over to police custody as evidences for the charges that would be filed against Sanchez.
SPO1 Rodrigo Roble yesterday told The Freeman that policemen are now conducting a manhunt operation against Sanchez, who has been allegedly reputed to be a drug pusher that is on the list of the drug watch list. - Norvie S. Misa