A member of the City Legal Office (CLO) Enforcement Team discovered two packs of suspected marijuana in an abandoned black plastic bag along the corner of Galo and Lacson streets on Monday night, August 3.
Radnie Ortoño, 36, was driving his tricycle back to his assigned post at the Capitol Lagoon at around 9 p.m. when he noticed the plastic bag along the roadside. Believing it could be someone’s lost property, he picked it up with the intention of turning it over to his supervisor for proper safekeeping, a press release from the Bacolod City Communications Office said Tuesday.
“I thought it might contain money that someone had accidentally lost, and I wanted to help return it to its rightful owner,” Ortoño said.
Ortoño was previously recognized by Mayor Greg Gasataya for his honesty after returning a cellular phone he found to its owner, a balut vendor.
Upon inspecting the bag at their post, Ortoño and his fellow enforcement personnel discovered two foil-wrapped packs containing dried leaves suspected to be marijuana.
Following established procedures, the team immediately reported the incident to their unit supervisor and secured the suspected contraband without any untoward incident.
Retired Police Colonel Levy Pangue, team leader of the City Legal Office Enforcement Unit, commended Ortoño and the team for their vigilance and prompt response.
“Our personnel are trained to remain vigilant at all times. The fact that this suspected contraband was recovered while our team was simply on the way to their assignment reflects their dedication to keeping Bacolod City safe and secure,” Pangue said.
The enforcement unit has prepared the recovered items for immediate turnover to the appropriate law enforcement authorities for laboratory examination, investigation, and proper legal disposition.
Pangue added that Ortoño’s actions exemplify the professionalism, integrity, and constant vigilance expected of City Legal Office enforcement personnel, demonstrating that their commitment to public safety extends beyond their assigned duty posts.*
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