ILOILO City – Twenty-two sachets of shabu valued at P750,000 were seized from a couple yesterday afternoon in Barangay Rizal Estanzuela, City Proper.
The shabu was to be disposed this Dinagyang Festival, according to Senior Inspector Marc Valles Dado, officer-in-charge of the Police Regional Office 6’s Regional Drug Enforcement Unit (RDEU).
The suspects were detained at Police Station 1.
Around 5:30 p.m., an undercover police officer initially bought from 28-year-old Raymond Baclado and 22-year-old girlfriend Janice Pansoy a sachet of shabu for P4,500.
Twenty-one more sachets were recovered from Baclado, said Dado.
The estimated street value of the 22 sachets – which weighed more or less 210 grams – reached P750,000.
Baclado, a dishwasher, and his live-in partner Pansoy would be charged with violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
They were from Barangay Naalad, Naga City, Cebu but temporary residing in Barangay Rizal Estanzuela.
According to Dado, the shabu was from Mandaue City, Cebu.
“Yung na-recover natin intended sa Dinagyang. May mga orders from different parts ng Iloilo City,” said Dado.
The Dinagyang Festival, which attracts thousands of revelers from across the country and abroad, is having an opening salvo on Jan. 11.
From then on, a series of activities would be held leading to the festival highlight on Jan. 27, the ati-ati tribes competition.
The buy-bust was a follow-up to an RDEU antidrug operation in Bacolod City last November 2018, he revealed.
The Bacolod operation led to the recovery of 150 grams of shabu but one of the suspects – Pansoy – managed to escape, said Dado.
“Tinutukan natin ito. May info kami na tumatawag siya dito sa Iloilo because of roll on, roll off tickets na na-recover natin sa gamit nila,” said Dado.
According to the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO), around 10,000 security officers – policemen, soldiers and force multipliers – would be keeping the Dinagyang Festival peaceful, orderly and drug-free.
The force multipliers would include Reserve Officers Training Corps cadets from various colleges and universities and village watchmen, among others, said Senior Superintendent Martin Defensor, city police director.
Of the 10,000 security officers, 4,000 would be policemen, said Defensor.
Armed Forces of the Philippines personnel would help secure the city.
Boosting the Dinagyang security measures is the election gun ban that starts on Jan. 13 and ends on June 2. Carrying or transporting firearms, explosives or other deadly weapons would be prohibited.
During the gun ban period, only policemen and personnel of other law enforcement agencies performing official duties will be allowed to carry firearms. But they must be in their complete uniforms./PN
