DAVAO CITY — City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio fired her information officer Jefry Tupas after he was figured in a drug raid on Saturday November 6, at Sea Eagle Resort in Barangay Pindansan, Mabini, Davao de Oro.
In a statement released this morning, the mayor stated :The former City Information Officer, Jefry Tupas, of the City Government of Davao was involved in a drug raid last November 6 in the Municipality of Mabini, Province of Davao de Oro. The details of the raid are known only to the PDEA officers in Davao de Oro and Ms. Tupas. Last Sunday, Jefry signified his resignation and on the same moment he was informed that he is terminated from work with the City Government of Davao.”
Tupas in a statement also said “I was there because like other guests, I was Invited. But I left right after dinner I my boyfriend and another friend.”
But other partygoers told Newsline “Jefry Tupas was with us during the raid and we do not know why he was not included in the list.”
News about Tupas presence broke off after some parents of the 17 arrested individuals took social media to say there was someone at the p[arty but was not included in the list, the talks further thickens when Tupas, who was very active on social media, suddenly deactivated his account on Sunday.
On Saturday night, the joined team from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, National Bureau of Investigation and the Mabini Police raises the beach resort after the test buy confirmed party drugs was sold during the party.
NBI assistant regional director Geraldo Intes told Newsline, one of the partygoers, a certain Revsan Ethelbert Papay Elizalde was the subject of the raid which yielded P1.5-million worth of assorted party drugs and Shabu.
Aside from Elizalde , NGI and PDEA report show that the following individual were apprehended
- Eana Faye Marie Palabras Olea
- Bryk Jordan Jordan Templado Archival
- Kurk Bryan Camona Tui Bot
- Paolo Guerero
- Ariel Baer Bueno
- Jan Lord Barcenas Masong
- Ronald Ente Chuan
- Christopher Daguman Prudente
- Edel Rubio Caballero
- Tome Jhun Bernardino
- Jesus Bentonon
- Ragas Jason Obedencio Viduya
- Giovanni Lumabi Tabanao
- Mark Christopher Anisco Isip
- Fritz Chente Dinopol
- Jomark Flores Aping
National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) assistant regional director Gerald Intes in an interview with Newsline said “We arrested high value targets and they are in the PDEA list.”
Intes revealed they conducted surveillance “We immediately coordinated with the other units for augmentation” during the operations.
PDEA XI Regional Director Aileen Lovitos said “Of course they are professionals mga businessman ang dinakpan natu karon nga operation and we are very saddened because this young professionals that we are expecting who should be the role models they are the future of the nation there the once who involved in illegal drug activities,”
Lovitos also denied reports that a Davao City Hall official was among those arrested “businessman there is a registered nurse and young professionals involved in private enterprise”
Photos of the suspects immediately spread like wildfire in social media posts but there are those who claimed that some personalities whose photos are now circulating did were not mentioned in the PDEA and NBI official report.
But Intes denied such claim saying “Based on the reports submitted by the field operatives which were sent to us for temporary detention, there are 17 kabuok, it is not true, we only have 17 here .”