P5-M in ‘shabu’ seized from 4 suspects

By: Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – A day after the P1.2-million drug haul here, another big operation against illegal drugs was conducted early Thursday resulting in the recovery of P5,062,500 worth of suspected shabu from four persons, including two teenagers at Barangay Alijis.

Arrested in a buy-bust around 3:45 a.m. yesterday were target subjects Ryan Benemile, 25, a native of Brgy. 30; his alleged runners Alberto Pastera Jr., 18, of Brgy 30, and Wegene Bagcal, 19, of Brgy. Mansilingan; and alleged client Chris John Esmedia, 29, of La Carlota City.

Police Major Ruel Culanag, head of Police Station 3, said they raided Benemile’s rented house and seized eight sachets of suspected shabu weighing 405 grams, the P1,000 marked money, and P1,500 cash.

Culanag said Benemile is considered a high value target because of the big volume of drugs recovered during the operation.

Benemile was placed under surveillance for more than two weeks, Culanag said.

“They would usually change their location several times when they transact with a client to avoid being traced up,” the station commander added.

Culanag said Benemile’s two alleged runners were present during the operation while Esmedia was caught allegedly transacting with Benemile.

The four suspects, who are detained at Police Station 3, denied the accusations against them.

Meanwhile, Police Colonel Henry Biñas, director of Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO), said they are still trying to establish if these suspects have connection with Regina Oro and her son Sam Aguirre, who were also arrested last Wednesday at Barangay Banago.

The operation by the City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU) led to the confiscation of 100 grams of suspected shabu amounting to P1.2 million.

“We are still trying to determine the sources of these four suspects,” Biñas said.

Earlier, Police Lieutenant Colonel Leonardo Borromeo said they learned that Oro and Aguirre’s source of illegal drugs is part of a drug group, but he refused to divulge the information in the meantime.

Biñas said the two-day drug haul is attributed to the intensified campaign of the BCPO against illegal drugs upon the directive of the higher headquarters.

“We will not stop chasing those drug peddlers,” he stressed.