By: Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – An estimated P576,100 worth of illegal drugs were seized in separate buy-bust operations in Negros Occidental from May 20 to 21.

On May 21, Joemarie Guion, 28, Antonieta Deopita, 35, both residents of Barangay 3; Kirby Dahil-Dahil, 26, of Barangay Mandalagan; and Julie Antiporda, 28, of Barangay 2 were arrested at Barangay 3, for alleged sale and illegal possession of dangerous drugs.

Guion is allegedly under the drug list of the PNP Directorate for Intelligence (DI).

Police recovered from them 17 sachets of suspected shabu worth P336,000, the P200 marked money, coin purse, and an improvised tooter. All four suspects are detained at Police Station 2.

On May 20, six separate drug busts were conducted in Bacolod City, and some parts of the province.

The biggest drug haul over the weekend was the recovery of P120,000 worth of suspected shabu at Barangay Binicuil, Kabankalan City.

Arrested were Louie Fred Sansano, 38; Romar Villanueva, 40; and Sheena Bañares, 33, all residents of the said village.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Jonel Guadalupe, city police chief, said they confiscated from Sansano four sachets, the P100 marked money, and P4,001 in cash while Villanueva allegedly conspired with Sansano in the selling of illegal drugs during the transaction and reportedly yielded P150 cash.

Recovered from Bañares were an improvised tooter, and P23,653 cash.

Sansano faces charges for violation of Section 5 (sale of dangerous drugs) and Section 11 (illegal possession of dangerous drugs) of Republic Act 9165 or Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, while Villanueva is facing charges for violation of Section 26 (conspiracy), and police filed charges for violation of Section 12 (illegal possession of drug paraphernalia) against Bañares.

In Bacolod City, Maria Clovel Oro, 32, of Barangay Banago, a newly-identified drug personality, was arrested at Barangay 2 for possessing 14 sachets of suspected shabu weighing four grams and worth P48,000.

Oro, who also yielded the P200 marked money, is detained at Police Station 2.

Another high-value target identified as Jascha Derla of Barangay 2 escaped during the operation.

Also nabbed at Barangay Taculing here were Benita Villahermosa, 40, a street level target; Santillan Villahermosa, 46, a street level target; Arnold Gelacio, 34; Johnray Omado, 27; Noel Federico, 46; Jomar Apili, 28, a high value target drug surrenderee; and Jaeson Apili.

Their arrests resulted in the recovery of eight sachets of suspected shabu weighing three grams and valued at P47,000, and the P300 marked money. All suspects are detained at Police Station 7.

In another operation, Ildie John Encarnacion, 28, of Barangay 27 was collared at Barangay 31 after police seized from him five sachets of suspected shabu worth P15,000, the P500 marked money, and P200 cash. He is detained at Police Station 6.

In La Carlota City, Bacolod residents Joemar Pausal, 34, and Luzmelinda Abutal, 68; and Herman Esparar, 30, of Barangay 1 were arrested for possessing 13 sachets of suspected shabu worth P6,500, the P500 marked money, and drug paraphernalia.

In Bago City, Johnny Guilaran, 53, of Barangay Poblacion is in jail after he allegedly yielded three sachets of suspected shabu worth P3,000, the P200 marked money, P145 cash, and drug paraphernalia.

In Sagay City, Randy Bilbao of Barangay Paraiso is also in the lam for possessing and selling two sachets of suspected shabu worth P600, and the P300 marked money.