BACOLOD City – Suspected shabu valued at around P1.37 million and high caliber firearms were recovered in a buy-bust operation in Manapla, Negros Occidental.
Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office director Colonel Romeo Baleros said the Manapla police officers seized suspected shabu weighing about 171 grams in the hideout of the slain “high-value” target Alson Aguirre.
“The illegal drugs recovered were just part of the entire supply in his possession. The rest have already been delivered,” said Baleros.
A government-issued M-16 armalite, two .45-caliber pistols, a .38-caliber revolver, a .45-caliber submachine gun, 27 live bullets, and four magazines were also confiscated.
“You have seen these recovered firearms[now], can we say that the lives of policemen are not in danger?” he stressed.
Baleros said a police officer was hit on the chest during the operation but was wearing a bullet-proof vest.
“If the policemen are thoroughly briefed before the operation, no one will get injured among them because they would know how to deal with an armed group,” the provincial police chief said.
Baleros added they are requesting for ballistic and paraffin examinations as part of the ongoing investigation.
Aside from Aguirre, who was included on the watch list as the sub-leader of the Divinagracia drug group based in Silay City, Negros Occidental, the three other fatalities were reported –Ruben Pinoy, Milo Flores and Renante Sombero.
“They are organized given how equipped they are,” Baleros said.
Aguirre’s hideout, located somewere at the sugarcane and rice fields in Hacienda Bariw in Manapla, has been described by Baleros as “very strategic for illegal drug transactions.”
“Our operation was successful. We thank the people in the village. If not for their help, we could not have neutralized and paralyzed the operation of Aguirre in Manapla,” Baleros said. (With a report from PNA/PN)
