P16.4M worth of ‘shabu’ seized in weekend drug haul

By: Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – An estimated total of P16,460,000 worth of suspected shabu was seized in three separate buy-bust operations here and in two areas in Negros Oriental over the weekend.

Bacolod scored the biggest confiscation in the past two days with P9.1 million worth of suspected shabu at Baragay Banago, followed by Negros Oriental with P7,310,000 worth of the same contraband in Dumaguete City and Sibulan town.

Arrested at Barangay Banago here last Saturday were Sunny Capa, 22, a drug surrenderer; and Ely Lorence Sazon, 20, both residents of the said village.

Police recovered from the two suspects about 610 grams of suspected shabu worth P9,150,000, and the P1,000 marked money.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Ariel Pico, public information officer of Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO), said Capa is considered a high value target based on the value of the recovered illegal drugs.

He said Sazon is an alleged drug runner of Capa, whose source of the items came from the said village and in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental.

He also said that Capa distributes the items in different areas here and has been reportedly engaging in the illegal drug trade as a source of his livelihood.

Pico said that the demand for illegal drugs increases this month because of the holiday season.

“Damu demand (drugs) bangud damo okasyon kag damo kwarta ang mga tawo subong. Thus, we intensify their anti-illegal drugs operations,” he said.

Both suspects are detained at Police Station 3.

Early the following day, Norman Castillo, 29, of Barangay Calabnugan, Sibulan, Negros Oriental was arrested at Barangay Camanjac, Dumaguete City yesterday, for the confiscation of 207 sachets of suspected shabu weighing 1,000 grams worth P6.8 million, the P1,000 marked money, and P11,000 boodle money.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Wilfredo Alarcon Jr., officer-in-charge of Dumaguete City Police Station, said Castillo allegedly repacked the illegal drugs and placed each of the sachets in a red envelope or “ampao” covered with a masking tape.

Alarcon said that the items were allegedly to be distributed in the cities of Dumaguete and Bais, and towns of Sibulan and Valencia.

Alarcon said they have yet to determine the source of the illegal drugs but he claimed that Castillo is a high value target based on the value of the recovered illegal drugs.

He is one of the independent players in the city, the city police chief said.

Later that day, Rayan Fontejon, 29; and Gil Catacutan, 37, both residents of Barangay Cangmating were also arrested at the said village. The operation was led by the Provincial Intelligence Branch of Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (Norppo).

Fontejon is a high value target while Catacutan is a newly-identified street level target drug personality, police records showed.

Police recovered from them five sachets of suspected shabu weighing 75 grams worth P510,000, the P500 marked money, a .9mm caliber ingram (submachine gun), a long magazine and two ammunition of the said firearm, a .45 caliber, a magazine and five live ammunition of the same firearm.

All five arrested suspects will be charged for sale and illegal possession of dangerous drugs while Fontejon and Catacutan have additional charges for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.

Meanwhile, Police Colonel Julian Entoma, Norppo director, lauded the efforts of the operating units as well as the cooperation of the people that made the anti-illegal drugs operation very successful in the province.

In a press statement, Entoma is continuously urging the community to strengthen their guards against the proliferation of illegal drugs in their locality and report any suspicious movement or activity of violators for safety.