ILOILO — Police anti-illegal drugs operatives seized more than P2.7 worth of suspected shabu and dried marijuana leaves from a barangay captain of Canauili, Janiuay town.
The suspect identified as Jeguer “Junjun” Verbal, 51 years old, was collared at around 10 a.m. on Wednesday, January 7, in the said barangay during a buy-bust operation executed by the Iloilo Police Provincial Office’s Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit Team 2 led by Major Dadje Delima.
Confiscated from the suspect classified as a high-value individual were 410 grams of alleged shabu with a standard drug price of P2,788,000 and 8.2 grams of dried marijuana leaves approximately valued at P4,100.
The suspect was detained at the Janiuay Municipal Police Station, facing charges for violation of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Delima, meanwhile, confirmed that the suspect was the supplier of illegal drugs for alias “Pudo” who was previously arrested in an antidrug operation in Barangay Gines, Janiuay, in September 2025.
“Siya [Verbal] ang nagahulog or naga-supply… isa gali siya sang naga-supply sa kay Pudo nga nakuha [arrested] naton. That is why nakibot kita sadto sang nabal-an nga may isa ka government-elected official nga naga-engage [sa illegal drugs] diri sa banwa sang Janiuay,” Delima said in a social media interview.
Delima added that aside from Verbal, they are currently monitoring several barangay officials who are allegedly involved in the operation of illegal drugs. Some of them, he said, are subject for validation prior the conduct of police operations.
“Todo-todo ang pagproseso sang aton iban nga units especially the PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency) sa pag-clear from illegal drugs sa aton kabarangayan. And we are working hand in hand sa aton PDEA and other drug enforcement units. But sad to say nga may mga barangay officials kita nga naga-engage sa pagbaligya kag paggamit sang ilegal nga droga,” he added./PN
