BY RUBY P. SILUBRICO and EUGENE ADIONG
BACOLOD City – The P7 million worth of shabu seized here had been transacted inside the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City, according to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
“Based on our information, the transaction was made inside Muntinlupa among the jailed drug dealers and drug manufacturers,” Regional Director Paul Ledesma told Panay News yesterday.
He, however, said he had no idea as regards the pick-up point of the items.
Ledesma also confirmed that Edgardo Justo, consignee of the shabu sent through private courier service LBC, was not in their list of high-value targets.
PDEA classified Justo, also known as Rey Roman, as a mere drug distributor or point man.
“The receivers of illegal drugs from Justo are in our list as high-value targets because they are already known to us as the repackers and sellers of shabu,” Ledesma said.
TRAFFICKERS GETTING CREATIVE
The use private courier service to ship illegal drugs appeared to have been going on undetected for quite some time.
Justo, whose shabu was stashed in shoes and sandals, had a similar shipment last month, revealed Ledesma.
“The first shipment was done two weeks ago but we were not able to operate because our asset failed to give us enough information,” said Ledesma.
But on Monday, PDEA agents successfully intercepted the shabu sent to the 36-year-old Justo.
The sachets of shabu were concealed in the soles of 20 pairs of shoes and sandals.
A PDEA asset managed to penetrate Justo’s inner circle and succeeded getting information about Monday’s shabu shipment, Ledesma revealed.
“We waited for several days” then carried out the plan that led to the suspect’s arrest and the recovery of the shabu, he added.
Monday’s case was the second time in Negros Occidental that PDEA intercepted shabu sent through LBC.
In April this year, PDEA seized over P3 million worth of suspected shabu in Cadiz City sent also through LBC. Two suspects were arrested.
Iloilo City also had one such case in April. PDEA agents intercepted shabu worth P1.6 million sent from Cavite.
The LBC management could not be reached for comment as of press time.
Drug traffickers believed that through private courier service, they could evade PDEA or police detection, said Ledesma.
Bacolod City officials were alarmed by PDEA’s discovery. Vice Mayor Greg Gasataya said he had goosebumps looking at the shabu confiscated from Justo. It was about a kilo.
Ledesma said each shoe or sandal contained about 50 grams of shabu wrapped in heat-sealed plastic sachets.
“PDEA requested Mayor Monico Puentevella to conduct a drug summit where all stakeholders can get involved,” said Councilor El Cid Familiaran, chair of the Sangguniang Panlungsod’s committee on police matters and public safety.
Meanwhile, Murcia, Negros Occidental’s Mayor Andrew Montelibano yesterday clarified that Justo was not a resident of his town.
PDEA had initially identified Justo to be a resident of Brgy. Sta. Cruz, Murcia.
“He is from Brgy. Granada in Bacolod City but owns a game fowl farm in Brgy. Sta. Cruz,” Montelibano said.
The mayor pointed out, however, that Justo had been in the drug watch list of the Murcia police.
He also urged PDEA not to limit the campaign against illegal drugs in Murcia town but also in other localities.
Bacolod City’s Councilor Familiaran said Monday’s successful operation was a “product of public cooperation.”/PN
