BY RUBY P. SILUBRICO
ILOILO City – The two suspected drug dealers recently arrested in Pototan, Iloilo were affiliated with a drug group based in Brgy. Bakhaw, Mandurriao district here and another in Brgy. Cubay, Jaro, said Director Paul Ledesma of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Region 6.
He told media yesterday that one of the suspects, Ernesto Bolivar, got his supply from Brgy. Bakhaw while companion Ricardo Tabuco of Brgy. Tabuc Suba, Jaro got his from Brgy. Cubay.
Tabuco was a tanod chief in their barangay.
“Most drug dealers arrested in the towns of Iloilo got their supplies from Iloilo City, specifically barangays Bakhaw, Cubay and Desamparados, Jaro. These are the main sources of illegal drugs,” Ledesma said.
Tabuco and Bolivar were arrested in a drug raid which netted 19 sachets of shabu, two caliber .45 pistols, assorted ammunitions and drug paraphernalia.
Their seven other companions were also arrested while in a pot session.
They were Jade Mendoza, Eliasar Tibog, Nestor Laluma, Ronald Pantong, Sarth Mendoza, Stephen Mendoza and Rocky Rodriguez.
Ledesma said PDEA is monitoring movements of drug dealers in Western Visayas who are considered high-value targets, so they could be arrested.
“We have a list of high-value targets. We would like to make them feel we are really serious in our campaign against illegal drugs,” Ledesma said.
PDEA scored its “biggest haul” on Monday with the arrest of Edgardo Justo in Bacolod City for carrying P7 million worth of shabu stuffed inside sandals and shoes sent via LBC courier service.
According to Ledesma, the shabu was transacted inside the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City among the jailed drug dealers and drug manufacturers.
The shabu, however, may not only be intended for Bacolod City or Negros Occidental. Sources said it may also be intended for Iloilo but still needed repacking.
The port in Dumangas, Iloilo, sources added, could be where the drug traffickers would be coursing the shabu.
The Dumangas port caters to roll on, roll off ships that serve the Iloilo-Negros sea route.
PDEA has long identified this port as an entry point of illegal drugs due to its porous security.
Ledesma said Justo, consignee of the Bacolod shabu, was actually not in their list of high-value targets.
PDEA classified Justo, also known as Rey Roman, as a mere drug distributor or point man.
“The receivers of illegal drugs from Justo are in our list as high-value targets because they are already known to us as the repackers and sellers of shabu,” Ledesma said./PN
