Using his employer’s sports utility vehicle (SUV), a congressman’s driver and his companion were arrested during a buy-bust operation in Cagayan de Oro City, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said Saturday.

PDEA Director General Arturo Cacdac Jr. identified the arrested the arrested suspects as Glenn Echavez, 30, and his cohort, motorcycle mechanic Ernie Villa, 24, both residents of Cagayan de Oro City.

He added that the operation eventually led to follow-up operations that resulted to the arrest of another person identified as Aisel Binaoro, 27.

Cacdac said that Echavez is an alleged personal driver of Congressman Peter Unabia, the First District Representative of Misamis Oriental.

Echavez and Villa were arrested at 10 a.m. Friday along Capitol Ground, Velez St., Cagayan de Oro City during a buy-bust operation conducted by the PDEA Regional Office 10 Provincial Special Enforcement Team – Misamis Oriental (PSET–MISOR)) under Director Emerson Margate.

Operatives confiscated from the suspects 11 pieces of heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets containing 12 grams of shabu with an estimated street value of P96,000 and a Toyota Hilux with plate number PNP-111 that was used by the suspects. The vehicle was found registered to Unabia.

Cacdac said that a follow-up operation was conducted at around 11:00 a.m. on the same day by the same PDEA team that led to the arrest of another Binaoro, another Echavez cohort, along Aguinaldo-Justo Ramonal St., Barangay 29, Cagayan de Oro City.

PDEA operatives also seized from him five grams of shabu inside 11 pieces of heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets with an estimated value of P40,000 as well as various drug paraphernalia.

An hour later on the same day, another follow-up buy-bust operation was launched against the Django, identified as the source of Echavez and Binaoro, at KM 4, Canitoan, Cagayan de Oro City.

A poseur-buyer was able to buy 0.5 grams of shabu from Django. The suspect, however, eluded arrest when he sensed the arrival of the operatives.

Echavez, Villa and Binaoro are presently detained at PDEA RO10 jail facility.

The suspects face cases for violation of Section 5 (Sale of Dangerous Drugs), and Section 12 (Possession of Equipment and Paraphernalia for Dangerous Drugs) of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.