More than P15M worth of ‘shabu’ seized

By: Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – An estimated total of P15,043,500 worth of suspected shabu were seized in separate buy-bust operations in Negros island from October 1 to 2.

The biggest drug haul was conducted at Barangay Camanjac, Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental last Monday, which resulted in the recovery of two kilograms of suspected shabu worth P13,600,000 from Jake Lester Alesna Esquilona, 22, a native of Bayawan City.

Police Major Wilfredo Alarcon Jr., head of the Provincial Intelligence Division (PID), said Esquilona is a high value target in Central Visayas wherein he distributes big volumes of illegal drugs in the province.

Alarcon said they placed Esquilona under monitoring since August after most of the arrested suspects pointed him as their alleged source.

Alarcon also said that Esquilona has been tasked to distribute the items to clients approved by an inmate at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP), who was previously arrested in the province in 2011.

“We have the identity of that inmate but we cannot divulge it as of now,” he added.

Alarcon said the recovered contrabands were supposed to be distributed during Buglasan festival in Dumaguete City next week.

He (Esquilona) would dispose the items in the said city, but we are still probing his source since he is getting the contraband in different places, Alarcon said, adding that Esquilona is renting a house used as a safe house for the items.

Alarcon said Esquilona was already charged for sale and delivery of illegal drugs yesterday. He is detained at Dumaguete City Police Station.

Meanwhile, Junel Billones was arrested at Barangay Banago here last Monday after police seized from him 11 sachets of suspected shabu weighing 51 grams worth P750,500, and the P500 marked money. He is detained at Police Station 3.

Last October 2, Jazel Villamor, 31, of Barangay Singcang-Airport here was arrested at Barangay 35 here after police confiscated from him three sachets of suspected shabu worth P45,000, and the P300 marked money. He is detained at Police Station 1.

Last Monday, Joel Canlas was arrested at Barangay 2 here after he allegedly yielded four sachets of suspected shabu worth P48,000, and the P500 marked money. He is detained at Police Station 7.

Also arrested in San Carlos City on the same day was Jesser Canaman, 26, of Barangay Palampas after police recovered from him about 50 grams of suspected shabu worth P600,000.