BY RHENJIE MARIE CALANTAS
ILOILO City – An estimated P1.97 million worth of suspected shabu was recovered and three high-value suspects were collared in three separate police antidrug operations in this city on Tuesday, July 18.
Around 7:35 p.m., four big knot-tied plastic sachets of suspected shabu weighing 170 grams and valued at P1,156,000 were recovered.
Wenchel “Tagoy” Provido, 37, of Barangay Zamora, was arrested in Zone 10, Barangay Calaparan, Arevalo district.
“Sa pag dakup sa iya nag gamit kita sang P60,000 buy-bust money kag nakabakal kita sa iya isa ka plastic sachet… Ang mga additional nga na-recover naton sa iya tatlo pa gid ka bulto,” said Captain Glenn A. Soliman, team leader of the Regional Police Drug Enforcement Unit (RPDEU-6) in an interview with Radyo Bandera Iloilo.
Provido was taken to the Arevalo police station.
“Medyo madugay na ini naton gina-monitor but ang iya activity is on and off,” Soliman added.
Around 12 noon, more or less 55 grams of suspected shabu valued at P374,000 were confiscated in Barangay Rizal, Pala-Pala.
This led to the arrest of a “regional priority suspect”, 29-year-old Michael John V. Hilario. His 47-year-old father, Virgilio, however, evaded arrest.
The operation was conducted by the RPDEU-6 and the Iloilo City Police Station (ICPS) 1-Station Drug Enforcement Team.
Then, around 1:50 a.m., some 65 grams of suspected shabu valued at P442,000 were seized in Barangay Airport, Mandurriao district.
James Michael D. Chua, 35, was a resident of Barangay M.H. Del Pilar, Jaro.
The operation was carried out by the ICPS 5, led by officer-in-charge Captain Val Cambel.
The three drug suspects will face charges for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
“Hinihikayat ko po ang lahat na makialam sa ating laban kontra iligal na droga. Magbigay alam lang po sa mga kinauukulan. Ang inyo pong impormasyong maibibigay, maliit man o malaki ay makakatulong na makamit nating lahat ang isang drug-free na komunidad,” said Polcie Regional Office 6 director Brigadier General Sidney Villaflor./PN
