BY MA. THERESA LADIAO
ILOILO City — More than P81,000 worth of suspected shabu was seized in a buy-bust operation conducted by the Iloilo City Police Station 2 (ICPS 2) in Barangay Baldoza, La Paz district on October 31.
The operation targeted suspect Arturo Galve, 53, who is allegedly linked to a drug supply chain originating from the New Bilibid Prison.
Galve was arrested after selling a sachet of shabu to an undercover officer for P4,500.
A follow-up search yielded 14 more sachets, bringing the total to 12 grams with an estimated Standard Drug Price (SDP) value of P81,600.
Galve faces charges for violating Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Authorities are continuing to investigate his suspected connections, suspecting that his supply was sourced directly from the New Bilibid Prison.
The New Bilibid Prison (NBP) is the main correctional facility for high-profile and long-term inmates in the country, located in Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila. It is managed by the Bureau of Corrections, a government agency under the Department of Justice.
NBP houses individuals convicted of serious crimes, including drug trafficking, murder, and other high-profile offenses. Over the years, it has been a focal point of controversy due to issues like overcrowding, corruption, and persistent illegal activities within the facility.
The prison has a maximum security compound, where many notorious inmates are held, as well as medium and minimum security compounds for inmates of varying classifications.
One of the recurring issues associated with NBP is the illegal drug trade. Despite the prison’s high security, reports and investigations have uncovered operations involving drug syndicates allegedly run by some inmates in collaboration with outside contacts./PN
