P2-M shabu seized from two suspects in Dumaguete City

A anti-drug agent inventories the some P2 million worth of suspected shabu and other items seized from two suspects in a joint police and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency operation in Dumaguete City on Nov. 3, 2019. | CDND Photo/ Florence Baesa

DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental — At least P2 million worth of shabu (crystal meth) was seized from two regional high value targets (HVT) during an anti-drug operation in Purok Tugas, Barangay Taclobo, Dumaguete City shortly before noon today, Sunday,  November 3, 2019.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Wilfredo Alarcon, chief of the Provincial Intelligence Branch (PIB) of the Negros Oriental Police Office and also the officer-in-charge  of the Dumaguete City Police Office, identified the suspects as Chira Joy Libradilla alias “Komi,” of Barangay Tinago here; and Kentford Cabriana, of Barangay Bajumpandan,  also of this city. 

Seized from the suspects were 27 pieces of sealed transparent plastic sachets containing suspected shabu weighing more or less 300 grams that carried a market value of P2 million.

Seized suspected shabu and other items in the drug bust in Dumaguete City on Nov. 3, 2019. |CDND Photo/ Florence Baesa

Also recovered were digital weighing scale, motorcycle, a cellphone, P1,000 bill used as marked money and several bogus money, a gray sling bag, disposable lighter and several empty transparent plastic sachets.

The suspects, in an interview, denied they were engaged in the illegal drugs trade, claiming they were framed by the joint police and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) operatives who conducted the drug bust.

Police Lt. Col. Wilfredo Alarcon, chief of the Provincial Intelligence Branch-Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office and OIC  of the Dumaguete City Police Office, talks to reporters about the seizure of P2 million worth of shabu and arrest of two suspects in Dumaguete City on Oct. 3, 2019. |CDND Photo/Florence Baesa

Alarcon, who led the joint operation, however said the arrest of the suspects was a result of a follow-up operation after a suspected mid-level drug dealer,  who was nabbed in Barangay Siapo, San Jose, Negros Oriental last October 28, 2019, pointed to the two suspects as their source of shabu.

“Dugay na sila gi-monitor. Karon lang na after series of operation conducted dunay mga dinakpan nga sila ang gitudlo nga sources. Part pud ni siya sa 1.5 kilos nga shabu sa San Jose. Possible nga sila ang next level, distributor,” Alarcon said.

(They were being monitored for quite some time. We were only able to get them after our series of operations led to an arrest of a person who pointed to them as the source. This is also part of the 1.5 kilos of shabu seized in San Jose. It’s possible that these two are the next level distributors). /elb