ICPO’s one-month drug drive seizes PHP 13 million in shabu

By Jennifer P. Rendon

The campaign against illegal drugs remains at the forefront of the Iloilo City Police Office’s (ICPO) anti-criminality efforts.

Col. Wilbert Parilla, Iloilo City police officer-in-charge, said this as he stressed their momentum in the anti-drug drive amid addressing the security requirements of major events such as the Jaro Fiesta, ASEAN meetings and the Iloilo-Guimaras Paraw Regatta Festival.

From Feb. 1 to 28, different ICPO units conducted 57 anti-illegal drug operations across the metropolis.

The operations resulted in the arrest of 71 drug personalities and the confiscation of approximately 1.912 kilograms of illegal drugs with a standard drug price of PHP 13,003,314.

Twenty-three of the arrested drug personalities are categorized as high-value individuals, while 48 were classified as street-level individuals.

The ICPO City Drug Enforcement Unit recorded the highest volume of confiscated illegal drugs with 1.097 kilograms valued at PHP 7,477,542.

They also had the highest number of arrests at 17.

Trailing the City Drug Enforcement Unit is Iloilo City Police Station 2, which seized 400 grams of suspected shabu worth PHP 2,721,349 and arrested six individuals.

Iloilo City Police Station 4 placed third after confiscating 191 grams of shabu valued at PHP 1,304,476 and apprehending nine drug personalities.

Parilla said the figures reflect not only their operational accomplishments but also the lives they help protect.

“Our campaign has no limitations: whether during major celebrations or on ordinary days, our fight continues. ICPO will remain aggressive, intensify its operations, and continue delivering strong results against individuals involved in illegal drug activities,” he added.

The city police office also commended the public for their cooperation with the police.

Methamphetamine hydrochloride, commonly known as shabu, remains the most prevalent illegal drug in the Philippines, accounting for the vast majority of drug seizures and arrests nationwide. Under Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, the sale of 10 grams or more of shabu carries the penalty of life imprisonment and a fine ranging from PHP 500,000 to PHP 10 million. Iloilo City, the regional center of Western Visayas with a population of more than 500,000, has been a focal point of intensified anti-drug operations as part of the broader national campaign against illegal drugs.