ILOILO — A 53-year-old butcher and his 49-year-old live-in partner were arrested in a coordinated buy-bust operation in Barangay Miraga-Guibuangan, Santa Barbara, Iloilo, at around 1:55 p.m. on November 21.
Police identified the suspects as alias “Ron,” tagged as a high-value individual, and alias “Jesy,” a balut vendor categorized as a street-level suspect. They were both residents of the said town.
Officers of the Santa Barbara Municipal Police Station (MPS), in coordination with the Iloilo Police Provincial Office’s (IPPO) Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit-Special Operations Group Team 1, recovered 13 transparent plastic sachets containing white crystalline substance believed to be shabu weighing around 115 grams and valued at P782,000, and buy-bust money.
The suspects are currently in police custody. They will be charged for violations of Sections 5, 11, and 26 of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Following the successful operation, the IPPO urged the community anew to remain alert and cooperate with law enforcement agencies in the ongoing battle against illegal drugs, emphasizing the importance of community support in fostering a safer environment for everyone./PN
