The Palauan national who was recently arrested at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) 3 in Manila had long been on the watch list of the Narcotics Enforcement Agency (NEA), according to NEA Director Ismael Aguon.
Aguon confirmed to the media in an interview on Wednesday, April 17, that the suspect identified as Mike Taman, is a Palauan national, and that they were aware that he went to the Philippines from Palau and they were in fact expecting him to return soon.
Aguon told Island Times that Taman had only been under NEA’s surveillance in the last four months but they had known him in the past years.
Reports from the Philippine media stated that Taman was arrested on Tuesday night, April 16, after the airport security screening officer frisked him and found 10 sachets of suspected meth placed inside a bottle that was covered by a diaper.
Aguon attributed the arrest of Taman to the cooperation that has been established between Palau and the Philippines about a year ago, explaining further that the two governments had talked about mutual criminal issues.
“We’ve had collaboration and communication between authorities here and there (Philippines) and we have shared information and effort to try to prevent meth from coming to Palau and I can credit this to that cooperation and I hope it further increases into the future,” Aguon said.
The NEA director said that they had also cooperated and shared information about other cases and suspects linked to illegal drugs to the Philippine operatives in as early as last December and January.
Aguon also confirmed that Taman lives in Koror but was originally from Ngchesar State.
A report from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) revealed that operatives intercepted Taman who was set to depart the Philippines on Tuesday night, April 16.
The Philippine operatives were able to seize around 60 grams of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride, locally known in Palau as “ice”, from Taman which has an estimated value of P404,600 or around $8,092. Aguon, however, told the media that the street value of meth in Palau is higher and the estimated price for each gram by wholesale here is $1,000 and $2,000 per gram by retail.
Aguon said that they had been very forthcoming with the public that the sources of meth in Palau are from the United States and the Philippines.
The NEA, according to Aguon, is making rounds around Palau to raise awareness against meth and reduce its demand here in the belief that if no one will buy it here, then it will not thrive.
Taman was set to be charged for violation of Philippine’s Republic Act 9165 otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Meanwhile, Aguon told the media that the Philippines and Palau have extradition agreement and their next actions in the case will depend on the decision of the prosecutors here. (Rhealyn C. Pojas)