By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD CITY – The Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-6 thwarted the possible spread of illegal drugs during the MassKara Festival, seizing PHP8,670,000 worth of suspected shabu in two days.
The BCPO made the largest drug haul in two buy-bust operations, leading to the arrest of an elderly businesswoman, a teenager, and a man, and the confiscation of PHP6.8 million worth of suspected shabu.
The first operation took place in Barangay Singcang-Airport at around 9:32 p.m. on Sunday, resulting in the arrest of alias “Biboy,” 37, of Barangay Villamonte. Police confiscated 500 grams of suspected shabu valued at PHP3.4 million.
Police Capt. Greeky Cayao, head of Police Station 8, said the suspect is a high-value individual (HVI) and an alleged major drug personality in the city.
Cayao added that the suspect had been under two months of surveillance following intelligence reports about his involvement in illegal activities. Authorities are investigating the source of the illegal drugs.
Hours later, another operation was conducted in Barangay 9 at around 1:01 a.m. yesterday, leading to the seizure of 500 grams of suspected shabu worth PHP3.4 million.
Police arrested alias “Elizabeth,” 60, of Barangay 27, and alias “Jupet,” 18, a pedicab driver from Barangay Tangub.
Police Major Eugene Tolentino, head of Police Station 2, said the senior citizen was on the drugs watchlist of Police Station 4, while the teenager allegedly conspired with her in the drug trade, though further investigation is ongoing.
Tolentino noted that the senior citizen had been under surveillance since last year, based on intelligence reports about her alleged involvement in illegal drugs.
He also stated that the confiscated drugs might have been sourced outside Bacolod, possibly from the National Capital Region (NCR), though this remains under validation.
Following these operations, the BCPO pledged to continue its dedication to combating illegal drugs, especially during the MassKara Festival.
Meanwhile, the PDEA-6 Regional Special Enforcement Team (RSET) arrested a couple in a drug raid in Purok Boulevard, Barangay 14 yesterday.
Armed with a search warrant, Investigation Agent 1 Alvin Clemente, team leader of PDEA-6 RSET, said they raided the house of alias “Rufert,” 34, a top regional target-listed drug personality.
Clemente said the suspect attempted to escape but was cornered by operatives after falling from a roof where he had been hiding for an hour.
The suspect’s 34-year-old wife was also arrested after agents found a parcel containing suspected drugs bearing her name inside their home.
PDEA confiscated 275 grams of suspected shabu valued at PHP1,870,000 from the residence.
Clemente mentioned that it took months for PDEA to secure the search warrant, as Rufert is considered a major supplier of illegal drugs in Western Visayas and has been linked to previously arrested drug suspects.
Over the weekend, nearly PHP1 million worth of suspected shabu was also seized by the City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU) in two separate areas.
Mayor Alfredo “Albee” Benitez said during a press briefing on Monday that he instructed Police Col. Joeresty Coronica, BCPO director, to monitor the possible entry of illegal drugs due to the influx of people attending the festival.
“It’s like peak season, so I told the Philippine National Police (PNP) and other enforcement agencies to be on the lookout because they [drug traffickers] would take advantage of the situation. I guess that’s why we’re seeing these large seizures,” the mayor said.
Benitez stressed that authorities have been consistently warned. “They can try, but they will never succeed,” he said, adding that the BCPO is maximizing efforts to prevent the entry of illegal drugs.
