ILOILO City – Four drug personalities, including a former police officer and two incumbent barangay officials, were arrested in two separate anti-illegal drug operations conducted on Sunday, February 15, across Iloilo Province.
Led by the Iloilo Police Provincial Office’s (IPPO) Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit (PDEU), the first operation was carried out at 3:05 p.m. in Barangay Licu-an, Dingle town. Police identified the suspects as aliases “Eduard,” 51, a former member of the police force, “Kor,” 55, the No. 1 kagawad of Licu-an, who were both classified as a high-value targets; and “Jay,” 28, tagged as a street-level individual. All three are residents of the said place.
PDEU Team 2 operatives, in coordination with the Dingle Municipal Police Station (MPS) and the Provincial Intelligence Unit, seized seven plastic sachets of suspected shabu weighing a total of 310 grams, with an estimated street value of P2,108,000, buy-bust money and non-drug-related items.
Authorities said Eduard was dismissed from the service several years ago for being absent without official leave (AWOL).
Police Major Dadje Delima of the PDEU said the arrests were the culmination of their six-month surveillance.
“We arranged a transaction with the suspects to buy P14,000 worth of illegal drugs through our asset, which led to the seizure of a large quantity of illegal drugs,” Delima said.
He added that the suspects were operating in Dingle, Dueñas, Pototan, and other neighboring municipalities.
On the other hand, a barangay captain was arrested in the second drug bust executed at around 8:60 p.m. in Barangay Bondulan, San Dionisio town.
Police identified the suspect as alias “Red”, 52, the village chief of Bondulan and classified a high-value individual.
He yielded 222 grams of suspected shabu with an estimated street value of P1,509,600.
All suspects are currently in police custody. They are facing charges for violation of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
IPPO director Colonel Bayani Razalan said Red was among their priority targets since launching surveillance against elected barangay officials allegedly involved in illegal drugs.
“Marami pa tayong targets na mga barangay officials at kung hindi sila hihinto, we have to conduct operation against them,” said Razalan.
For his part, Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) director Brigadier General Josefino Ligan lauded the operating units for the successful operation.
“Let this serve as a strong warning that no one is above the law. Regardless of status, position, or former affiliation, we will relentlessly pursue individuals involved in the illegal drug trade. This operation demonstrates our firm commitment to cleanse our communities from the menace of illegal drugs,” Ligan said./PN
