PHP 2.38 million shabu seized in Oton buy-bust

By Jennifer P. Rendon

A substantial volume of illegal drugs was seized in a police anti-narcotics operation early on Nov. 21 in Oton, Iloilo.

Police identified the suspect as alias Edward, 43, a resident of Barangay Ilawod Poblacion, Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo.

Members of the Regional Police Drug Enforcement Unit (RPDEU) 6, together with the Regional Intelligence Division 6, the Police Drug Enforcement Group–Special Operations Unit 6, and the Oton Municipal Police Station, arrested the suspect in a buy-bust operation in Barangay San Nicolas, Oton, at around 1:25 a.m. Friday.

He was arrested after handing a sachet of suspected shabu to a police poseur-buyer.

A subsequent search led to the recovery of additional drug items and paraphernalia, including nine transparent plastic sachets and six knot-tied plastic bags containing suspected shabu, along with other drug and non-drug items.

Major Marvin Villanueva, RPDEU-6 deputy chief, said the seized drugs weighed around 350 grams with a standard drug price of PHP 2.38 million.

Villanueva said the suspect had a previous drug-related arrest.

He was detained in April 2016 and released after a plea bargaining agreement in November 2019.

Villanueva said the suspect had been monitored returning to the illegal drug trade “for quite some time already.”

“Medyo madulaa lang siya. Palipat-lipat palagi ng area ng transaksyon. Isa pa, mainit na siya doon sa Barotac Nuevo,” he said.

Edward’s areas of operation include Iloilo City and the province of Iloilo.

His activities reportedly focus on towns in the second and fourth districts of Iloilo.

The suspect is now in police custody and will face charges for violating Sections 5 and 11 of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.