BY MAI LADIAO
ILOILO City – A police buy-bust operation on Good Friday, March 29, led to the apprehension of a high-value drug suspect and the seizure of suspected shabu, which could sell for around P4.5 million based on its estimated street value.
The operation against 33-year-old Rodney “Blue” Ardales Tabangcura, a resident of Barangay Balud, Dumangas, Iloilo, at approximately 5:30 p.m. in Barangay San Rafael, Mandurriao district, yielded more or less 225 grams of the illegal substance, with a standard drug price of at least P1,530,000.
Tabangcura sold suspected shabu to a police poseur buyer in exchange for P17,000 in buy-bust money.
Currently, the suspect is detained at a police custodial facility and is set to face charges under Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
The buy-bust led by Police Station 5, under the supervision of Police Captain Val Cambel, was supported by the Iloilo City Police Office, Regional Police Drug Enforcement Unit 6, and the Special Weapons and Tactics team, utilizing two body-worn cameras documenting the entire operation.
Cambel said Tabangcura has patrons in the provinces of Iloilo, Aklan, Antique, and Capiz.
He added that the police will dig into other drug personalities that may be connected with the arrested suspect.
In 2022, Tabangcura was caught by the police engaging in a pot session in Barangay Pali, Mandurriao./PN
