Siquijor-NegOr buy-busts: Five suspects nabbed, 48K shabu seized

A 36-year-old man, who completed a community-based drug rehab program (CBDRP), landed in jail after he was nabbed in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Lalao, San Juan, Siquijor on Wednesday evening, March 26. | PDEA-7 Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Siquijor and Negros Oriental apprehended five drug suspects in two separate buy-bust operations conducted in two days.

The Siquijor-NegOr buy-busts were conducted on Wednesday and Thursday, March 26 and 27.

At around 11:03 p.m. on Wednesday, authorities arrested 36-year-old alias “Philip” in Barangay Lalao, San Juan, Siquijor province.

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Philip owns a mobile bar and lives in the barangay, according to PDEA-7. He is also a  completer of the barangay’s community-based drug rehab program (CBDRP).

Confiscated from his possession were 0.15 grams of suspected shabu with an estimated average market value of P1,020. Authorities also confiscated drug paraphernalia and a motorcycle.

Leia Alcantara, PDEA-7 spokesperson, disclosed that the suspect could dispose of two to three grams of drugs per week. This information was discovered during their month-long case buildup.

Four drug suspects were arrested in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Banilad, Bacong, Negros Oriental on Thursday, March 27. | PDEA-7 Photo

About an hour later or at 12:12 p.m., another buy-bust operation was conducted in Barangay Banilad, Bacong in the province of Negros Oriental.

Operatives dismantled a suspected drug den and apprehended four suspects, which included the drug den maintainer alias “Gilbert,” 56, who is a truck driver.

Also arrested were alleged drug den visitors: alias “Dennis,” 37, pedicab driver; alias “Filbert,” 25, remote task freelancer; and alias “Alvin,” 38, a sari-sari store owner. All individuals are from the barangay.

Seized during the operation were packs of suspected shabu weighing around 7 grams with an estimated average market value of P47,600 and various drug paraphernalia.

According to Alcantara, the operation was planned with the help of concerned citizens who sent reports. During their two weeks case buildup, authorities discovered that Gilbert would dispose of 15 grams of drugs every week.

The pieces of drug evidence seized in the Siquijor-NegOr buy-busts have been submitted to the PNP Negros Oriental Forensic Unit for chemical analysis and proper disposition.

Drug charges are being prepared, as of this writing, against the suspects who are detained by local authorities.