PHP 1.7M in Shabu Seized, Eight Nabbed in Iloilo Stings

By Jennifer P. Rendon

Around PHP 1.7 million worth of shabu and eight suspects were seized in a series of anti-drug operations in Iloilo City over 10 hours.

The operations began with the arrest of two street-level pushers around 7:20 p.m. on November 11 in Barangay Don Esteban, Lapuz, Iloilo City.

Jan Cordero, 44, and Harvey Vega, 43, both residents of the area, were arrested after selling a sachet of suspected shabu worth PHP 1,000 to an undercover police buyer.

Officers from the Iloilo City Police Station 8 recovered five more sachets of suspected shabu during the operation.

Captain Lester Oliveros, chief of ICPS8, stated the confiscated drugs weighed around 20 grams with a standard value of PHP 136,000.

Just over an hour later, members of ICPS4 conducted another anti-drug operation in Barangay Calumpang, Molo district.

Police arrested Francis Morales, 37, an electrician from the same area, who sold a sachet of suspected shabu for PHP 7,000.

Morales was found with six additional sachets of shabu, weighing approximately 90 grams and valued at PHP 612,000.

Meanwhile, ICPS1 conducted a separate buy-bust around 10:30 p.m. that night.

Eugene Dollete, 47, of Barangay West Timawa, Molo, Iloilo City, was apprehended in Barangay Yulo-Arroyo, City Proper district, with 70 grams of shabu worth PHP 476,000.

At 5 a.m. on November 12, ICPS2 held an anti-drug operation in Barangay Baldoza, La Paz, where they arrested their primary target, 52-year-old Gilbert Rafael, along with alleged accomplices Junner Moleño, 42, a mechanic; Rene Bebit, 30, a painter; and Gilda Rafael, 52.

The suspects allegedly sold a sachet of suspected shabu worth PHP 5,000.

Officers seized 13 additional sachets of shabu from them, valued at PHP 476,000.

The eight suspects are now detained and face charges under Republic Act 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.