Young couple nabbed with P3.5-M worth of shabu

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By Jennifer P. Rendon 

A young couple from Iloilo City is facing charges for possessing more than P3 million worth of suspected shabu.

Kim Roger Pahunao, 26, and his live-in partner Jona Rose Espinas, 23, were arrested in a police anti-narcotics operation early evening of Dec. 19 at their house in Barangay Tanza Bonifacio, City Proper district.

Police seized an estimated 520 grams of shabu valued at P3,536,000.

Members of the Iloilo City Police Office-City Drug Enforcement Unit (ICPO-CDEU), together with the Iloilo City Police Station 1, collared the couple after selling a sachet of suspected shabu for P20,000.

Police then seized 15 more sachets and three knot-tied plastic of suspected shabu, a mobile phone, two pouches, a lighter, a butterfly knife and two rolls of aluminum foil.

Lieutenant Colonel Antonio Benitez, Jr., ICPO-CDEU chief, said the two suspects were arrested after a one-month surveillance.

Aside from Iloilo City, the couple was also believed to be distributing drugs in the province.

The arrest of a client in Janiuay, Iloilo several weeks ago led the police to the duo’s operation.

Benitez said that it was not that hard for Pahunao to establish his illegal drug link. His parents were arrested in a drug buy-bust operation in Molo, Iloilo City on Oct. 25, 2023 while his brother, James, was collared on Sept. 26, 2023.

“He took over their illegal drugs business following the arrest of his parents and brother,” Benitez said.

But it appeared that the family’s illegal drug link emanated from his uncle who has been incarcerated at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) since 2006 for an illegal drug-related offense.

Pahunao has no previous drug-related arrest but he was charged with murder after allegedly killing a co-worker in Passi City.

The case was downgraded to homicide and he was able to post bail.

He later settled the case with the complainant,

In 2020, he was also accused of robbery. He’s also been a suspect in several theft incidents.

Meanwhile, Espinas, who claimed to be two months pregnant, had no previous arrest.

The two suspects are now detained and will face charges for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.