BY RHENJIE MARIE CALANTAS
ILOILO City – Nearly P1.5 million worth of suspected shabu was recovered in Barangay Hipodromo, City Proper yesterday, May 31.
The buy-bust operation at a hotel around 1:05 a.m. led to the arrest of six suspects.
Police tagged Jeffrey Borromeo Pamosino, 37, of Barangay Lapuz Norte, Lapuz; Joel Kong Libuna, 36, of Barangay Sinikway, Lapuz; Vincent Paul Hablan Caturas, 23, of Barangay Sinikway; and Philip Pinuela Esmao, 30, of Barangay Nabitasan, La Paz as high-value suspects.
The other suspects were Abbie Sta Cruz Natinga, 19, of Barangay Crossing Dapuyan, San Joaquin, Iloilo and Jenelyn Peralta Dela Peña, 46, of Barangay North Baluarte, Molo, Iloilo City.
The operation was conducted by the Iloilo City Police Office, headed by Colonel Joeresty Coronica, together with the City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU), led by Lieutenant Colonel Antonio P. Benitez Jr., and CDEU team leader Captain Roque C. Gimeno III.
Operatives bought suspected shabu from the suspects for P15,000.
An additional 32 sachets of suspected shabu weighing more or less 215 grams with a standard drug price of P1,462,000 were recovered.
“Madanlog ini sila. Nag lab-ot three months before namon na-materialize ang operation kag syempre mabudlay man nga magsulod kita nga wala sang legal nga basihan. Kaina sang kaagahon dira kita nakakita sang opportunity nga maka-conduct sang buy-bust operation,” said Coronica.
Coronica also said illegal drugs in Iloilo City came from the Luzon area.
“With the advancement of technology resources nila, maka-afford sila mag-employ sang mga spotter nga naga-inform sa ila, gapadulong pa lang ang mga pulis ginatago na na nila ang mga drug items.” he added./PN
