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BY RUBY P. SILUIBRICO
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January 30, 2018
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Negros-bound couple arrested in Dumangas
ILOILO City – A kilo of shabu worth P18 million was seized from a couple in Barangay Sapao, Dumangas, Iloilo on Sunday night – so far the biggest shabu confiscation in a single antidrug operation in Western Visayas.
The suspects got the shabu from Batangas and would have brought it to Negros Occidental had they successfully boarded a roll on, roll off ship at the seaport of Dumangas.
“But nagbenta pa sila ng droga, this was why we were able to catch them,” said Senior Superintendent Marlon Tayaba, director of the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO).
There was never this big a haul of shabu in the region’s history, added Tayaba.
The 32-year-old Jose Alberto Pinaga and 30-year-old girlfriend Maebelle Belmonte were no ordinary drug pushers; they were drug couriers, according to the police director.
The police learned of the couple’s shabu shipment from a drug suspect arrested last week in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental.
On Jan. 23, an estimated P6.825-million worth of shabu (593.532 grams) was recovered from Christian Unabia, 29, in Sitio Juan-ong, Barangay Palampas, San Carlos City.
After Sunday’s 8:30 p.m. buy-bust operation, Pinaga and Belmonte were taken to the IPPO. Both were residents of Silay City, Negros Occidental.
An undercover police officer initially bought from the couple four sachets of shabu for P50,000.
From what the police have so far gathered, the suspects picked up the shabu in Batangas on Friday, Jan. 26. From there, they boarded a roll on, roll off ship bound for Caticlan in Malay, Aklan.
From Malay, the suspects rented a vehicle for Dumangas, Iloilo.
Tayaba said the suspects told investigators this was supposedly their third delivery of shabu to a Negros-based drug syndicate; the first was made in Dec. 22, 2017 and the second was early this month.
The couple claimed they were paid P50,000 for each delivery.
“The first two deliveries were each one kilo of shabu, too. Amo na kadaku,” said Tayaba.
Sunday’s buy-bust was a joint operation of the IPPO, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Philippine Coast Guard, and Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office.
Tayaba said authorities were now zeroing in on the Negros drug syndicate receiving the couple’s shabu deliveries.
Yesterday morning’s follow-up operation led to the arrest of another drug suspect in Barangay Mandalagan, Bacolod City. Corazon Vergel was detained at the Bacolod City Police Office.
Vergel fell in an entrapment at around 5 a.m. Fifteen grams of shabu worth P180,000 were recovered from her.
Vergel, Pinaga and Belmonte face a charge for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002./PN
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