Ben Madilynn
A TWO-DAY anti-drug campaign in Western Visayas resulted in the arrest of 37 suspects and the seizure of approximately 586 grams of suspected shabu worth P3.9 million.
The Police Regional Office (PRO) in Western Visayas conducted 27 police operations across the region from September 11 to 13, 2024.
Nine of the arrested people were considered high-value individuals (HVIs), and 28 were considered street-level individuals (SLIs).
The Iloilo Police Provincial Office (Ippo), Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo), Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO), Iloilo City Police Office (Icpo), and Regional Police Drug Enforcement Unit (RPDEU)—Western Visayas, have all contributed to arrests in the region.
The BCPO made the largest single drug haul, seizing around 135 grams of suspected shabu worth P918,000 in Barangay Vista Alegre, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, from alias Stephen on September 12, 2024.
The Icpo followed with a seizure of approximately 68 grams of suspected shabu on September 12, 2024. It was a joint police operation in Barangay Lopez Jaena Norte, La Paz District, Iloilo City that led to the arrest of five individuals and the seizure of P462,400 worth of suspected illegal drugs and a firearm. The operation involved two HVIs and three SLIs. Authorities also seized 14 plastic sachets containing shabu and a.38 caliber revolver with three rounds of ammunition.
On the same date, Ippo also seized approximately 65 grams of shabu, valued at P442,000. A buy-bust operation in Barangay Igang, Pototan, Iloilo, resulted in the confiscation of 65 grams of suspected shabu and non-drug items by the Pototan Municipal Police Station’s (MPS) Drug Enforcement Team and the Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit of (PDEU) Ippo.
Police Brigadier General Jack Wanky, regional director of the PRO-Western Visayas, commended the operatives for their efforts and urged them to maintain the intensity of their campaign against illegal drugs.
“I urge you to conduct in-depth investigation on these suspects to determine the source of their illegal drugs,” Wanky said.
Wanky emphasized the importance of holding those involved in illegal drug trade accountable and warned them that failure to surrender could result in them being the next subject of a police operation.
“These statistics show your hard work and commitment to held accountable those involved in illegal drug trade. To those found involved in the illegal trade, if you will not stop and surrender to authorities, your days are coming because you will be the next subject of our police operation,” he added.
Police have taken the arrested suspects into custody, and they will face charges for violating Republic Act 9165, also known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, and illegal firearm possession under the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act of 2013. (Leo Solinap/SunStar Philippines)
