BCPO doubles anti-drug war operations for MassKara Festival

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By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – The Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) said that more operations against illegal drugs are expected here in the coming days, as they have been focusing their monitoring for the Masskara Festival.

This was revealed by Police Colonel Thomas Joseph Martir, BCPO director, following the seizure of 675 grams of suspected shabu worth P4,590,000, in a buy-bust operation at Purok Riverside, Barangay Bata here last Saturday.

Operatives of the City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU) arrested Erwin Belonio, 34, of Barangay Handumanan here, and Anthony Solon, 38, of Barangay Bata. Both are high-value individuals.

Martir said the illegal drugs reportedly came from Luzon, based on the information given to the police operatives.

Martir said they have been doing anti-illegal operations double time since confiscated illegal drugs from their previous operations might be part of the supply for the said festivity because of the influx of people.

The MassKara Festival was postponed for two years because of the pandemic.

Police also recovered from them the P3,000 marked money and P300.

Martir said that Belonio and Solon were previously arrested for a drug offense but were released this year through plea bargaining. He added that Belonio also had a homicide case but was able to settle it with the victim.

Martir said that illegal drugs could be transported by land or sea. Thus, he stressed the need to improve scanners and other equipment that could detect contraband in seaports.

“Yawan man ta pangita kag pang dakop, kung makalab-ot naman diri sa aton,” Martir said.

Martir said that drug suspects have other means so that the contraband cannot be detected. “Amo na may kabudlayan man ta,” he added.

Meanwhile, another man was also arrested in a drug bust operation at Purok Sigay, Barangay 2 here last Friday, which resulted in the recovery of 26 grams of suspected shabu worth P176,800.

Police identified the subject as Noel Dadivas, 23, of the said village, who is a high-value individual.

Police Captain Paul Vincent Pendon, head of Police Station 2, said that Dadivas was previously arrested and is now under probation.