Student, companion yield P1.5-M ‘shabu’

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – The City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU) here seized 232 grams of suspected shabu worth P1,577,600 from two persons, including a student, in a buy-bust operation at Purok Sigay, Barangay 2 Friday morning.

Police identified the subject as Michael John Tabara, 39, of Barangay 29 here, while his companion was an 18-year-old student, a resident of Barangay Banago here.

Captain Joven Mogato, CDEU head, said that the operation stemmed from a report a few weeks ago against Tabara, who was alleged to be engaging in the illegal drug trade in the area.

They validated the information and launched the operation against Tabara at his rented house.

Mogato said that Tabara was arrested for sale and illegal possession of dangerous drugs in 2018 but has no idea why he was released from jail.

Meanwhile, the teenager was also arrested for illegal gambling when he was a minor.

Mogato said that the teenager was also considered as Tabara’s alleged drug runner.

“Dugay na na da sila ga stay. Tinuig naman,” he added.

Mogato said the suspects even allegedly allowed some of their customers to hold a “pot session” there.

However, he said they could not consider the rented house as a drug den since there are parameters to follow.

Police also confiscated from them the P10,000 marked money and P250.

Mogato said that Tabara’s mother had already told him many times to stop engaging in the illegal activity, but the suspect refused to listen.

Both suspects are detained at Police Station 2.