BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – An estimated P4.5 million worth of suspected shabu weighing around 675 grams was seized in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Bata here over the weekend.
Police identified the arrested as 34-year-old Erwin “Boy” Belonio, a resident of the city’s Zone 11, Barangay Handumanan; and 38-year-old Anthony Solon of Purok Riverside, Barangay Bata.
The suspects were tagged as high-value drug targets based on information released by the Bacolod City Police Office-City Drug Enforcement Unit (BCPO-CDEU).
BCPO-CDEU head, Police Lt. Joven Mogato said prior to conducting the operation, they had been receiving intelligence reports that someone was selling illegal drugs at Purok Riverside, prompting them to validate the information by conducting surveillance and, once confirmed, they conducted the buy-bust operation to arrest the suspects.
Police further said that the suspects have criminal records and that they have served time in prison.
In 2012, Belonio was jailed for a homicide charge, but was able to get out after posting bail. He was arrested again in 2017 in a buy-bust operation and was again released from jail in January of this year.
Solon, meanwhile, was previously arrested for a robbery charge and was released on September 19.
Mogato also noted that they were surprised that Solon was also in the house, as their primary target in the operation was Belonio.
Also recovered from the suspects were the P3,000 buy-bust money; a sling bag; and a coin purse with suspected drug money amounting to P300.
Based on BCPO-CDEU’s investigation as to where the suspects got the illegal drugs, initial findings revealed that the seized suspected shabu originated from outside Western Visayas and was smuggled into Bacolod City through a courier.
The suspects are presently detained at the Police Station 2, facing charges for violation of Sections 5 and 11 of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002./PN
