BY JEN BAYLON & RUBY P. SILUBRICO
ILOILO City – Law enforcement authorities achieved a breakthrough after seizing illegal drugs valued at more or less P14 million in Western Visayas on Nov. 22 and 23.
In Iloilo province, two drug couriers, identified only through their aliases, “Nonong” and “Mike,” were arrested for possessing more or less 1.1 kilos of suspected shabu with a street value of P7,480,000.
During the operation at around 5:12 a.m. yesterday, Nov. 23, in Estancia town’s Purok 3, Barangay Cano-an, a police poseur buyer bought P10,000 worth of suspected shabu from the suspects.
Alongside the illegal drugs, a 12-gauge homemade shotgun was also recovered from Nonong.
According to Estancia municipal police chief Lieutenant Renzo Martinez, it took them three months of monitoring before the buy-bust operation, in collaboration with the Provincial Intelligence Unit and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Region 6, materialized.
“We found it hard to transact with them. It so happened that we had an asset that could penetrate them,” Martinez told Panay News.
Also recovered from the suspects’ possession were:
* buy-bust item
* buy-bust money
* 13 plastic sachets of shabu
* black holster; and
* drug paraphernalia
Nonong and Mike reportedly got their supplies in Roxas City, Capiz, and distributed them to Capiz and Iloilo provinces.
“Their source from Roxas City allegedly has a contact in New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City,” Martinez added.
It was learned that Nonong was arrested sometime in September for the Commission on Elections gun ban at a police checkpoint in Sapian, Capiz, but he was released after posting a bail bond.
Colonel Ronaldo P. Palomo, director of the Iloilo Police Provincial Office, issued a stern warning to those involved in the drug trade.
“May this successful drug buy-bust serve as a warning against all drug personalities. Choose a different path; otherwise, we won’t hesitate to employ all legal means to stop your nefarious activities,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Bacolod City Police Office confiscated a total of 760 grams of suspected shabu valued at P5,032,000 from two separate operations.
The buy-bust operation in Purok Pilipinhon, Barangay 30, at around 1:48 a.m. on Nov. 23, led to the arrest of alias “Mar-Mar,” an alleged member of the Caunda Drug Group. Then, by 6:53 p.m., authorities also apprehended alias “Rodney” in the city’s Barangay 6.
The Iloilo City Police Office joined the efforts and arrested six suspects during an operation in Zone 3, Barangay Salvacion Habog-habog, Molo, around 8:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 22. More or less 70 grams of shabu worth approximately P476,000 were seized.
Then, yesterday afternoon, Nov. 23, three individuals were apprehended in Iloilo City’s Zone 2, Barangay Bakhaw, Mandurriao, where 21 sachets of suspected shabu, weighing an estimated 150 grams and with a street value of P714,000, were seized.
The operation’s main suspect was Alfredo Casipe, 35. With him were Darwin Peñafort, 48, and Arturo Decena, 58.
The Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office contributed to the crackdown with two operations, resulting in the confiscation of roughly 11.5 grams of shabu and the arrest of two individuals.
Capiz Police Provincial Office conducted one drug-bust operation, seizing five grams of suspected shabu with a standard drug price of P34,000. One suspect was apprehended.
Brigadier General Sidney Villaflor, director of Police Regional Office 6, congratulated the troops for their accomplishment.
“Let us not forget the ill effects of illegal drugs on our society, especially on our youth,” Villaflor said.
All arrested individuals will be facing charges for violation of Republic Act 9165, or The Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002./PN