Retired firefighter arrested in Negros Occidental drug sting

By Glazyl M. Jopson

BACOLOD CITY — Police are preparing drug charges against a 67-year-old retired firefighter arrested in a recent buy-bust operation in Barangay 2, Hinoba-an, Negros Occidental.

Police Lt. Marivic Delos Reyes, deputy chief of the Hinoba-an Municipal Police Station, said a criminal complaint would be filed Tuesday against the suspect, identified only as “Romeo.”

Delos Reyes said Romeo retired from the Bureau of Fire Protection more than a decade ago.

Police alleged that Romeo sold suspected shabu to an undercover officer for PHP 500 during the operation.

Authorities said they recovered about 3 grams of suspected shabu valued at PHP 20,400 from the suspect.

Police said they had limited information about Romeo’s alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade pending further investigation.

In a separate operation Saturday, police arrested a 42-year-old man classified as a high-value drug suspect during the execution of a search warrant in Barangay Alicante, E.B. Magalona, Negros Occidental.

Police identified the suspect only as “Flo.”

Authorities said they recovered about 55 grams of suspected shabu valued at PHP 374,000.

Police also seized an improvised tooter and other alleged drug paraphernalia used for repacking.

The suspected shabu seized in Alicante will be submitted to the Negros Occidental Provincial Forensic Unit for laboratory examination, police said.

In another operation Aug. 25, the Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit and Provincial Intelligence Unit, with the Bacong Municipal Police Station, served a search warrant on an alleged drug suspect in Bacong, Negros Oriental.

The operation yielded 101.9 grams of suspected shabu valued at PHP 692,920, police said.

Authorities also recovered a digital weighing scale, cellular phones, drug paraphernalia, cash and other items believed to be connected to illegal drug activity.

The alleged sale and possession cases fall under Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.