Overtime

PDEA nabs UP baller in a buy-bust operation

Former UP player and Phillippine Youth Captain Kevin Rae Astorga was seized for alleged illegal possession of drugs in BF Homes Parañaque City.

/ 23 September 2020

Astorga with five other personalities was caught after two months of surveillance by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) team led by Jill Salamanca, Southern Police District.

According to PDEA director Adrian Alvariño, Astorga was their top target for the said buy-bust operation where illegal transaction trades were made in BF Homes.

 “Nag-conduct tayo ng surveillance. Marami kasamahan itong si Kevin Astorga, marami inimbitahan na kaibigan from affluent families,” he said.

In addition, PDEA will be looking for the accomplices of Astroga who fled the scene and will be looking into the possibilities of active varsity players being on his client list.

Suspects were caught after having a transaction with a PDEA agent acting as a buyer worth of Php 150,000 marked money. 

PDEA confiscated 150 grams of kush, a high-grade marijuana with a street value of Php 168,000.00, small transparent self-sealing plastic sachets with traces of suspected cocaine, various drug paraphernalia, and two mobile phones.

Astorgas with Avelino Circulo, Augustine Deulexandre Montejo, Jericho Martin Tomagan, Karen Salvahan, and  Miguel Carlos Mojares are now in the custody of PDEA.

They will be charged with violation of Sections 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13,14, and possibly 15 of Article II of Republic Act 9165, also known as the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Astorga was the former captain of the National Youth Team in the 2004 SEABA under-18 Championship and played for the Fighting Maroons in 2009.

He also played under the banner of Pharex B-Complex in the PBL and teamed up with current Alaska forward Vic Manuel.