ILOILO City – The Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) seized a total of P74.7 million worth of illegal drugs and arrested 610 drug suspects from January 2023 to January 2024.
Records from the ICPO showed that the 382 operations resulted in the seizure of 10,883 grams of shabu.
The ICPO also arrested 403 persons in 103 operations against illegal gambling.
“We did our best, pero happy pa gid kung wala na may mag baligya kay kalolo-oy ang mga kabataan. Gina taya namon ang kabuhi namon para lang mapapas ang drug dealers,” ICPO director Colonel Joeresty Coronica said.
On October 29, 2023, the ICPO’s Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) member, Staff Sergeant Michael Malan, died during a drug operation in Barangay Concepcion, City Proper, district.
The ICPO’s Drug Enforcement Unit conducted an operation against suspect Bongbong Yturiaga.
However, Yturriaga resisted during the operation; thus, the CDEU sought help from the SWAT team.
The police recovered P7.8 million worth of shabu from Yturriaga, who later surrendered to the police.
Also, a notable accomplishment for the ICPO was being part of a buy-bust operation in a subdivision in Barangay Camalig, Jaro district on Nov. 11 with the Regional Drug Enforcement Unit (RDEU) leading.
Three kilos of shabu worth P20.4 million were recovered from the couple “Shanon” and “Anne.”
Their helper, “Rose Anne,” was also arrested for alleged conspiracy.
The suspects were tagged by police as high-value individuals.
Police Captain Glenn Soliman, head of RDEU, said their main target was the couple who were bodegeros of the illegal substance, which they distribute in the city and province of Iloilo.
Their alleged source was the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City, Soliman added.
Shanon, a person with disability due to a previous motorcycle accident, was once jailed at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in Barangay Ungka, Jaro for illegal drugs. He availed himself of the bargaining agreement in 2021./PN
