Roxas City butcher charged in PHP 74,800 drug bust

By Felipe V. Celino

ROXAS CITY, Capiz — Police filed illegal drug charges Monday, July 20, against a butcher arrested in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Lawaan last week.

Jeffrey Pelaez, a legal-age resident of Sitio Jail in Barangay Lawaan, was charged before the Roxas City Prosecutor’s Office with violating Republic Act No. 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Pelaez was arrested late Friday afternoon, July 17, during a drug operation in Barangay Lawaan.

Police recovered a sachet containing about 11 grams of suspected shabu with an estimated value of PHP 74,800.

Officers also seized a green pouch and PHP 900 in buy-bust money.

Pelaez works as a butcher at the Teodoro Arcenas Trade Center in Roxas City.

The City Drug Enforcement Unit of the Roxas City Police Station conducted the operation.

Police said Pelaez was on the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council’s watchlist.

Authorities said Pelaez admitted using illegal drugs.

Police also alleged that Pelaez had recently used illegal drugs before the operation.

He remained in the custody of the Roxas City Police Station.

In a separate operation, police arrested a businessman in Barangay Lawaan around noon Friday, July 17.

The suspect was identified only as alias “Jef,” 30, a resident of the area who was classified by police as a street-level individual.

Police also charged him before the Roxas City Prosecutor’s Office with violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Officers recovered two sachets containing about 15 grams of suspected shabu with an estimated value of PHP 102,000.

Police also seized PHP 1,000 in buy-bust money and drug paraphernalia from the suspect.