NORTHERN Mindanao police arrested four drug suspects, including a high-value individual (HVI), during a buy-bust in an inn in Barangay 29, Cagayan de Oro City.
Officers arrested a certain Robin, a 45-year-old male resident of Barangay Iponan, and listed as an HVI.
Also apprehended were three street-level individuals identified as Pedro, a 55-year-old male resident of Barangay Bulua, this city; PJ, 60, married and a resident in Aloran, Misamis Occidental; and Felly, 44-year-old female, married, and a resident in Barangay Balulang, this city.
Recovered during the operation were 12 heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets containing suspected shabu, weighing around 290 grams and with an estimated standard drug price of P1.972 million; one cellphone; one digital weighing scale; P1,000 buy-bust money; and other drug paraphernalia.
According to the police records, Robin had previously been arrested for illegal drug-related charges om 2015 and was released in 2022.
He was found in possession of the 290 grams of shabu.
Pedro, also had previously been arrested and served time for a murder case and PJ had a prior arrest for illegal logging. Felly, on the other hand, was caught in the act of using illegal drugs with PJ at the scene.
Robin and Pedro will be charged for violation of Sections 5 and 11 of the Republic Act (RA) 9165 or Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, while PJ and Felly will face charges for violations of Sections 12 and 15 of the same law.
Police Brigadier General Rolindo Suguilon, director of the Police Regional Office in Northern Mindanao (PRO 10), commended the City Drug Enforcement Unit of Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (CDEU-COCPO) for their success.
"This arrest is another testament to our firm resolve to rid Northern Mindanao of drug personalities and dismantle their illegal networks. We will continue to intensify our anti-drug campaign through intelligence-driven and well-coordinated operations," Suguilon said.
The police regional director encouraged the public to report suspicious activities through official hotlines or local police stations. (Jo Ann Sabalad/SunStar Philippines)