BCPO nets P9.2-M worth of illegal drugs

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – The Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) will offer a cash reward of P100,000 to anyone who could provide information on the whereabouts of any member or the leader of the Caunda drug group.

This, after the BCPO confiscated a total of P9,207,200 worth of illegal drugs, including P8.8 million worth of suspected shabu from a member of the said drug group and her two cohorts on Thursday night.

In a press briefing yesterday, Police Colonel Noel Aliño, BCPO director, said that the Caunda drug group is the number 1 drug syndicate here, composed of some remnants.

“P100,000 para sa makakapagturo ng member or leader nila. Hinahanap namin iyong leader ng grupo,” he added.

Cader Chisno Magondacan, who has been identified as a sub-group leader of the Caunda drug group was arrested for drug charges in Compostela town in Cebu province on June 2.

Police records indicated that the suspect was arrested through an arrest warrant issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 41 Acting Presiding Judge Phoebe Gargantiel-Balbin on June 17, 2020.

Aliño said they’re aiming to determine the roots of the illegal drugs here, thus the B-Aid was launched to intensify the anti-drug war of the BCPO through continuous intelligence-driven anti-illegal drug operations.

“Maraming gumagawa ng anti-illegal drug operations, pero hindi doon natatapos sa pagkakahuli. Hinahanap at nadudugtong-dugtong natin yung link. Ito talaga iyong dapat masugpo. Iyong link sources, transhipment points, and possible protectors,” he added.

Aliño said that the apprehension of Gycelle Bonagua, 31, of Angeles City, Pampanga; and her alleged cohorts Michael Ramos, 43, of Antipolo, Rizal; and Rizald Lapag, 33, of Barangay 4 here, stemmed from the intelligence-driven-operation of Police Station 8.

About one kilo and 300 grams of suspected shabu worth P8,840,000 was seized from the three high value individuals in a buy-bust operation at a rented house in Purok Kabulakan 1, Barangay Singcang-Airport here on August 3.

Police also recovered from them the P99,000 in boodle or fake money, a weighing scale, and a .45 caliber pistol with a magazine and five live ammunition reportedly owned by Lapag.

Aliño said that Lapag’s firearm will be checked to determine if it matches the weapon used in previous shooting incidents here.

For his part, Police Captain Melvin Mercado, head of Police Station 8, said they placed the suspects under monitoring for one week.

Police were able to intercept the illegal drugs before distribution, he added.

Mercado, however, refused to reveal more details about the said operation, pending further investigation.

But, he said that one of them had a previous murder case that was dismissed.

Meanwhile, Aliño assured that the BCPO will continue to intensify the campaign against illegal drugs to address the drug problem here.

“Mahirap if maraming drugs tapos walang huli. Dito hindi kami masasabihan ng ningas-kugon lang sa operations. Tinatalo na po namin lahat,” he said.

Aliño lauded the operatives of Police Station 8 for such big accomplishment. He said that they will be receiving a P50,000 reward.

Aside from the big drug haul, operatives of the City Drugs Enforcement Unit (CDEU) also arrested Dino Paolo Chavez, 24, of Barangay 2 here last Thursday.

Police seized from him 17 grams of suspected shabu worth P115,600, the P500 marked money, and P150.

The following day, a 21-year-old woman and a 19-year-old boy were also apprehended by Police Station 4 in a drug bust in Barangay Alijis here following the confiscation of 25 grams of suspected shabu worth P170,000 and 12 grams of suspected marijuana worth P81,600.