ICPO: Three Drug Find Cases Unrelated

By Jennifer P. Rendon

The Iloilo City Police Office said three recent illegal drug discoveries were not connected.

Col. Kim Legada, Iloilo City police chief, said no links were found among the cases, which occurred within an 18-hour span.

At around 3:40 p.m. on March 30, a woman discovered eight sachets of suspected shabu inside a red angpao envelope.

She said she found it while walking near Jaro Plaza in Barangay Benedicto, Jaro district.

She immediately turned it over to patrolling police officers in the area.

Maj. Eduardo Siacon Jr., Iloilo City Police Station 9 chief, said the drugs weighed about 20 grams and had an estimated street value of PHP136,000.

Siacon said some drug peddlers leave sachets of shabu in designated areas and notify buyers or resellers where to retrieve them.

Police believe the woman found the package before it could be picked up by the intended recipient.

Three hours later, a man reported finding a ziplock bag while walking along a pathway in Barangay San Rafael, Mandurriao district.

Inside were five heat-sealed sachets containing dried marijuana leaves.

He surrendered the package to personnel at Iloilo City Police Station 10.

Capt. Val Cambel, ICPS 10 commander, said the marijuana may have been discarded by someone who feared being caught with it.

The third incident occurred around 9:20 a.m. on March 31. A taxi driver turned over a coin purse containing a sachet of suspected shabu to Aksyon Radyo–Iloilo.

He said he discovered it while cleaning his taxi unit. The radio station later forwarded the item to ICPS 10.

The suspected shabu is estimated to be worth PHP13,600.

Cambel said the coin purse may have slipped from a passenger’s pocket.