P782K of shabu, gun seized in City Proper bust

By Jennifer P. Rendon

Another ex-convict was arrested in a police anti-illegal drug operation early morning of Dec. 21 at City Proper, Iloilo City.

Members of the Iloilo City Police Station 1 arrested Jerson Manuel, 34, after selling a sachet of suspected shabu for P8,000 at Barangay Sto. Rosario Duran around 3:10 a.m. Thursday.

Police also seized two knot-tied plastic sachets, several non-drug-items and a caliber .38 revolver loaded with two ammunition.

Captain Roque Gimeno III, ICPS1 chief, said the seized drugs weighed around 115 grams with a standard drug price of  P782,000.

Gimeno said Manuel, a resident of Barangay Veterans Village, City Proper district, was also arrested in a drug buy-bust operation in August 2015. It was not immediately known what became of the case.

But in 2019, he was again arrested for the same offense and was reportedly released from incarceration the following year.

Gimeno said the suspect might have made links with illegal drug personalities since his brother is still behind bars at the New Bilibid Prison.

It was believed that he was keeping a bigger volume of illegal drugs but managed to dispose of it days before his arrest.

Manuel is now detained and will face charges for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 and RA 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act).