ILOILO – A 47-year-old man tagged as a high-value individual was arrested after anti-narcotics operatives seized around ₱646,000 worth of suspected shabu in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Hamod, Batad town at 11:50 p.m. on September 10.
Joint elements of the Batad Municipal Police Station’s (MPS) Drug Enforcement Team and the Iloilo Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit Team III identified the suspect as alias “Toto,” married, and a resident of Batad.
Recovered from the suspect were the buy-bust item, four additional plastic sachets of suspected shabu, buy-bust money, and non-drug paraphernalia.
The suspect is currently held at the Batad MPS. He will be charged for violation of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Acts of 2002.
Meanwhile, Police Brigadier General Randulf T. Tuaño, director of the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6), emphasized that the campaign against illegal drugs relies heavily on strong collaboration among law enforcement, local government units, partner agencies, and the community.
“Ang laban kontra droga ay hindi lamang laban ng PNP. Ito ay sama-samang laban ng buong komunidad. Kapag nagkakaisa ang pulisya, mga lokal na opisyal, iba’t ibang ahensya, at mamamayan, mas mabilis nating natutukoy at napipigilan ang mga ilegal na aktibidad,” Tuaño stated.
PRO-6 affirmed it will continue to strengthen its intelligence gathering, validation, and operational coordination to eradicate other personalities involved in the illegal drug trade./PN
