Justice prevailed in the ongoing fight against illegal drugs following the arrest of a construction worker who deals cannabis or marijuana, and another suspect for illegal sale and possession of methampethamine, more popularly known as "shabu" or "poor man's cocaine."

On two separate decisions, the Negros Oriental Regional Trial Court (RTC) -Branch 30 found John Christopher Abo Alunan alias "Raymond" and Bobby O. Jimenez alias "Dodong/Dodong Balbal" guilty of violating Sec. Art. II of RA 9165 (sale of dangerous drugs) and Sec. 5, Art. II of RA 9165 (possession of dangerous drugs).

The Court sentenced both Alunan and Jimenez to suffer life imprisonment and a fine of Php500,000.00 each for sale of dangerous drugs, and an indeterminate penalty of twelve years and one day as minimum term to fourteen years as maximum term and to pay a fine of Php300,000.00 each for possession of dangerous drugs.

Alunan was arrested after he sold ganja or the flowering or fruiting tops of the cannabis plant to a police officer who posed as a buyer in a buy-bust operation coordinated by Dumaguete City police and local PDEA operatives. After a body search by another police officer, a big white plastic also containing ganja was retrieved from the suspect.

On a different occasion, Jimenez, another suspect, was nabbed for the illegal sale to a poseur-buyer and possession of methampethamine or "shabu." Body search yielded a long green plastic containing four sachets of crystal meth.

Secretary Vitaliano N. Aguirre II praised Prosecutors Marites U. Flores-Macarubbo and Ana Mei Duran-Montenegro of the Dumaguete City Prosecutor's Office for the successful convictions. "Waging war against illegal drugs is not just our marching order, it is also our moral duty," the Secretary said.