Supplier charged in Iloilo SK drug case

By Felipe V. Celino

ROXAS CITY, Capiz — Police filed charges Friday morning, Feb. 27, against Stephen Bereber, who authorities said supplied illegal drugs to an arrested Sangguniang Kabataan chairman in Sara, Iloilo.

Complaints for violations of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, were filed before the Capiz Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.

Joint operatives of the Capiz Provincial Police Drug Enforcement Unit and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Region 6-Capiz Provincial Office arrested Bereber in a buy-bust operation at about 3:58 p.m. in Barangay Lawaan, Roxas City, police said.

Police said the operation was supervised by Police Col. Albert D. Tapulao, the provincial director.

Authorities identified Bereber, also known as “Papanort,” as unemployed and a resident of Sitio Swa, Poblacion, President Roxas, Capiz.

Police said they seized 12 heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets containing suspected shabu weighing a total of 60 grams, with an estimated street value of PHP 408,000.

Officers also recovered several non-drug items from the suspect’s possession, police said.

Investigators said Bereber was the alleged supplier of Rexon Mark Jabagat, 26, of Barangay Del Castillo, Sara.

Police said Jabagat was arrested Feb. 20, 2026, in a separate buy-bust operation in Barangay Ardemil, Sara, conducted by the Sara Municipal Police Station and the 2nd Iloilo Provincial Mobile Force Company.

Authorities said Jabagat, the SK chairman who had been in the position for about four years, was carrying 22 medium-sized sachets of suspected shabu weighing more than 300 grams, with an estimated street value of PHP 2,040,000.

Police said they also seized about 10 grams of marijuana from Jabagat, valued at more than PHP 1 million.

Republic Act 9165 penalizes the sale, possession and distribution of illegal drugs, including methamphetamine hydrochloride, commonly called shabu.