Two persons, including teen, yield P2.1-M worth of ‘shabu’

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – An estimated P2,142,000 worth of suspected shabu were seized from a man and a college student in separate buy-bust operations here and in Negros Occidental in the past two days.

The bulk of the drug recovery was reported here with the confiscation of 255 grams of suspected shabu worth P1,734,000 from a 19-year-old boy at Purok Tahong, Barangay 2 yesterday.

Police Captain Paul Vincent Pendon, head of Police Station 2, said they monitored the suspect for about three weeks after receiving information about his alleged illegal activity.

Pendon said the teenage suspect cannot be considered a drug runner since he was one of those who are holding or keeping the suspected illegal drugs.

Police also seized from him the P500 marked money and P11,000 boodle money.

The suspect is considered a high-value individual, according to the police.

Meanwhile, in Kabankalan City, revelations from previously arrested drug suspects led to the arrest of a 40-year-old man in Barangay Binicuil last Monday.

Policemen seized 60 grams of suspected shabu worth P408,000 from Jonathan Gasalao, according to Police Captain Thurslie Castillo, deputy chief of Kabankalan City Police Station.

Castillo said that Gasalao is a newly-identified individual, but is also considered a high value individual because of the volume of the drug recovery which is more than 50 grams.

Police also confiscated from him the P500 marked money, an improvised glass tooter, three lighters, P231, and other non-drug paraphernalia.

Castillo said the suspect was placed under monitoring for about a month after he was identified as an alleged distributor of illegal drugs by some previously arrested drug suspects.

“Gina tudlo siya (Gasalao) na gina kuha-an item nga gina distribute man sang mga runners na nadakpan na,” he added.

Castillo said the suspect is included in the priority list of drug personalities of the police station.

He said the suspect refused to reveal the source of the illegal drugs. Castillo said the suspect was reportedly distributing the contraband in Himamaylan City, and other neighboring areas.

He said they are checking the background of the suspect to determine if he has other cases.

The suspect will be facing charges for sale and illegal possession of dangerous drugs and illegal possession of drug paraphernalia, according to Castillo.

Police Brigadier General Sidney Villaflor, acting regional director of Police Regional Office (PRO)-6, said the honest and aggressive law enforcement operations are fully supported by the community that voluntarily gives valuable information to the police for the success of their anti-illegal drugs campaign.

“Sana po ay huwag kayong magsawa na tulungan ang kapulisan sa pagsugpo ng iligal na droga na salot sa ating lipunan,” Villaflor said in a statement.