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BY MERIANNE GRACE EREÑETA
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Saturday, December 17, 2016
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ILOILO – Police in this province caught a “high-value” drug target — but it was not Arturo Balume, suspected leader of the Balume group.
Lea D. Braga, 48, of Barangay Bakabak, Sara town was allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade in the New Bilibid Prison, police claimed.
“May direct sia nga transaction sa Bilibid. May mga pakaisa sia sa sulod,” said Senior Inspector Ronnie Brillo, Sara police chief.
“May supply man nga ginasulod diri sa iya sa Sara, tapos may distributor pakadto sa area sang Concepcion kag Sara,” Brillo said.
Braga fell into a dragnet the Provincial Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operation Task Group and the Sara police station set up around 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 15 in Barangay Bakabak.
Her arrest contradicted the Iloilo Police Provincial Office’s (IPPO) earlier claim that they have only one remaining high-value target: Arturo Balume, also of Sara.
But Chief Inspector Aron Palomo, IPPO spokesperson, told Panay News they found out about Braga only recently.
Palomo claimed Braga’s name did not surface in previous intelligence reports, “only in statements from drug personalities already arrested.”
During Thursday’s operation, Braga sold a plastic pack of suspected shabu to an undercover officer.
Seven more plastic packs of similar substance; P1,060 cash, including the P500 buy-bust money; and an identification card indicating she was a barangay health worker under the Provincial Health Office in Bakabak, Sara were recovered from her.
Sara police held a test buy on Braga months ago, but when they were about to set up a buy-bust operation in November, she already refused to sell.
“Indi na sia maghatag sa taga-Sara [nga poseur buyer], amo na nabudlayan kami until nangayo kami bulig sa provincial office,” said Brillo.
Detained in the Sara police station lockup cell, Braga will be charged with sale and possession of prohibited drugs.
Palomo told Panay News Braga’s arrest was a big blow to the drug operation in the 5th District, where Sara and Concepcion belonged.
“In case mangin cooperative ini sia, ma-identify pa gid naton ang mga upod niya nga drug personalities sa 5th District kag sa bilog nga province,” he said./PN
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