P1-M worth shabu seized in Iloilo City

By Jennifer P. Rendon

The Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) scored another big illegal drug confiscation over the weekend.

This, following the arrest of Crisanto Morada, 45, resident of Barangay Desamparados, Jaro district and Stephen Jay Pano, 18, of Barangay Benedicto, Jaro.

Members of Iloilo City Police Office – City Drug Enforcement Unit (ICPO-CDEU), together with Iloilo City Police Stations 1 and 3, collared the duo for allegedly selling a sachet of suspected shabu for P18,000 afternoon of Dec. 2 at Barangay Desamparados.

After their arrest, police frisked them and seized five more sachets, a knot-tied plastic of suspected shabu, and several non-drug items.

Lieutenant Colonel Antonio Benitez Jr., CDEU chief, said the seized drugs weighed around 150 grams and were valued at P1.020 million.

Benitez claimed that the duo, who are classified as high-value individual (HVI) drug personalities, sourced their supply from Barangay Bakhaw, Mandurriao district.

Relatedly, the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) has recommended to barangay officials of Desamparados village to demolish the two abandoned houses, which have been used as drug lairs of suspected drug personalities.

The ICPO leadership made the suggestion following Saturday’s drug buy-bust operation in the area.

It was gathered that five houses in Desamparados are deemed as drug dens, which includes the two abandoned houses.

These houses might be demolished along with several others.