By Jennifer P. Rendon
Police authorities in Western Visayas are investigating the possible existence of a drug lord in the region following recent multimillion-peso drug seizures.
The inquiry intensified after the arrest of a 43-year-old truck driver from Iloilo who was caught with PHP816 million worth of shabu at Calapan Port in Oriental Mindoro on March 21.
Brig. Gen. Jack Wanky, director of the Police Regional Office 6, said they are coordinating with the Philippine National Police and other authorities in the MIMAROPA Region to secure a debriefing with the suspect, Christopher Malco.
“If we could interview him, it might help us determine if may drug lord gid man or wala,” Wanky said.
“If there is, so be it. But then again, that would depend on the information that we will get from him.”
Wanky said Malco has been on the police’s drug watchlist since 2023 but had no prior drug-related arrests.
As of now, police cannot confirm if the seized drugs were bound for Panay Island.
“It doesn’t follow that because the driver is from Iloilo, it will be brought to Iloilo,” Wanky said.
“But it’s possible since we see from our interdiction that we have seized a big volume of illegal drugs in Panay and Negros Occidental.”
He said Panay could be a transshipment point, with the drugs possibly intended for Mindanao or other parts of the country.
Illegal drugs, he added, can be sourced from Luzon, Cebu or Mindanao.
“That’s why we’re doing close coordination with the MIMAROPA PNP,” he said.
“If that’s the case, it should serve as a challenge for us.”
Wanky emphasized that information like this should not be hidden because it is a matter of public concern.
He said the public has seen PRO-6’s seriousness in its anti-drug campaign.
“For almost all of the accomplishments, it’s because of the community’s support and participation,” he said.
If any of the shabu seized in Mindoro made it to Western Visayas, Wanky is confident that local authorities will intercept it.
“Given the volume of confiscated drugs lately, we could see it as alarming,” he said.
“But as I’ve said, it should serve as a challenge not only for the PNP but for other law enforcement agencies and the community. That’s why we need to help each other.”
The recent developments also affirm the earlier assessment of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency that drug syndicates possess large volumes of illegal drugs and are attempting to flood markets where there are active users and pushers.
Wanky said it will now be the responsibility of the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Councils to monitor whether identified users and pushers are returning to their old ways.
Village officials confirmed that Malco previously lived in Barangay Pulo Maestra Vita, Oton, Iloilo before moving six years ago to Barangay Balabag in Pavia town.
According to PDEA-MIMAROPA, the shabu was found inside two luggage bags and five travel bags hidden in the compartment of the Toyota Camry Malco was driving.
Malco’s estranged wife, Janice, said they have not been together for several months.
She said their last meeting was in July 2024 following the death of Malco’s father.
She claimed to have no knowledge of his current whereabouts or activities.
