Duo caught in P2.1-million drug bust

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By Jennifer P. Rendon

A former convict and a boarding house owner were apprehended during an anti-narcotics operation on April 10, just before midnight, in Lapuz, Iloilo City.

In a joint effort, the Regional Police Drug Enforcement Unit 6 (RPDEU-6) and Iloilo City Police Station 2 arrested Jairus Silubrico, 34, in his rented accommodation in Barangay Rizal, Lapuz.

Silubrico, hailing from Barangay Tanza-Esperanza, City Proper, was detained alongside 47-year-old Racheldhar Cereneche, the proprietor of the boarding house.

The operation, which culminated after a month-long surveillance, yielded 12 sachets of suspected shabu and drug paraphernalia.

The total haul weighed approximately 310 grams, with an estimated value of P2.108 million, disclosed Captain Glenn Soliman, RPDEU-6 team leader.

Silubrico, the prime target of the operation, had been elusive since last year, constantly changing residences to avoid capture.

His criminal record includes a prior drug-related arrest and a murder accusation, for which he managed to settle the case outside of court.

Cereneche, however, had no previous arrests.

Both suspects are currently in custody and face charges under the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, Republic Act 9165.