BACOLOD City – Around P1.3 million worth of illegal drugs were recovered in police operations in the city from Feb. 16 to 18, the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) reported.
The antidrug operations led to the arrest of nine individuals including a minor, the BCPO added.
The arrested persons were all “high-value” drug targets, BCPO spokesman Chief Inspector Ariel Pico said.
Among those arrested was Jonathan Cordova, who yielded shabu valued at around P76,500.
Personnel of the City Drug Enforcement Unit nabbed Cordova in a drug buy-bust operation on Feb. 16, Pico said.
The following day, officers from Police Station 2 caught drug suspects Christian Biñas, Albert Orilla and Dennis Bautista.
Illegal drugs worth P283,000 were recovered from them, Pico said. Their accomplice the police identified as Leonilyn Rafols however evaded arrest.
On the same day, BCPO’s antidrug personnel also arrested Roda May Celis, John Patrick Esio and a minor.
Their apprehension led to the recovery of illegal drugs estimated to be worth P900,000.
The operation was conducted on the strength of a search warrant against Krystel Joy Diaz, who managed to escape the police. Diaz remains at large as of this writing.
Also that day, officers from Police Station 8 caught Glen Tubongbanua and confiscated from him shabu worth P4,950.
On Feb. 18, antidrug personnel from Police Station 1 staged a sting operation that led to the arrest of Daniel Salas Demafelis.
When frisked, Demafelis yielded P34,950 worth of illegal drugs.
The drug suspects were all facing charges for violation of Republic Act 9165, Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, at the City Prosecutor’s Office.
The arrested minor, on the other hand, was turned over to the Social Development Center in Barangay Taculing.
Senior Superintendent Henry Biñas, director of the BCPO, commended his men for the “remarkable accomplishments.”
Biñas said these accomplishments prove their relentless campaign against illegal drugs./PN