Five nabbed in another drug den raid in Desamparados

By Jennifer P. Rendon 

Five persons were arrested in another drug den raid at Jaro, Iloilo City early evening of May 27, 2023.

Police identified the suspects as Romer Castor, 47, of Barangay Tabuc Suba, La Paz, Iloilo City; Jenbert Berol, 25, of Barangay San Roque, Jaro; Felix Sabandal, 37, of R.V. Sanchez St., San Miguel, Iloilo; Mark David Mahusay, 25, of Barangay Tab-ang, Bayawan, Negros Occidental; and Jun Ong, 35, of Barangay Tanza-Bonifacio, City Proper, Iloilo City.

Saturday evening’s anti-narcotics operation at Barangay Desamparados happened almost two months after another drug den was busted in the area.

Members of the Iloilo City Police Office-City Drug Enforcement Unit (ICPO-CDEU), together with the ICPO Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team and Iloilo City Police Station 3, swooped down on the drug den following a buy-bust operation against Castor and Berol.

The duo allegedly confederated in selling a sachet of suspected shabu for P20,000.

When they were later frisked, police recovered seven more sachets of suspected shabu, a pouch, a weighing scale, a pack of empty plastic sachets, aluminum foil, and a lighter.

Lieutenant Colonel Antonio Benitez Jr., CDEU chief, said the seized drugs weighed around 115 grams and has a standard drug price value of P782,000.

Benitez said that Castor and Berol were the targets of the anti-drug drive while the three other suspects were their alleged downlines.

The CDEU is checking reports that Castor and Berol had previous drug-related arrests, on top of being Tokhang surrenderers.

The suspects are now detained and will be charged for violation of Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002).

Benitez said the duo reportedly got their supply from a certain Madame Pe, a distributor in the area but was reportedly relocated outside of Iloilo City.

Police are not discounting the possibility that some drug personalities who used to dwell in Barangay Bakhaw, Mandurriao, have transferred to the nearby Desamparados.

It can be noted that 11 persons were arrested following a police anti-illegal drug operation afternoon of April 30.

Police recovered around 60 grams valued at P408,000.