FOUR persons were arrested in separate anti-illegal drug operations in the provinces of Negros Oriental and Siquijor on Thursday, November 30, 2023.
In Sibulan town, Negros Oriental, three persons were taken into custody when the operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Negros Oriental Provincial Office dismantled a drug den in Barangay Magatas at around 7:19 p.m. on Thursday.
The accused were identified as Hanzel Calumpong, 37, an alleged drug maintainer, Ryan Christian Mascardo, 19, a student, and Shannen Rhay Lobingco, 22.
Taken from them were four packs of suspected shabu, totaling 16 grams and worth P108,000, a cellphone and drug paraphernalia.
Leia Alcantara, PDEA 7's information officer, said that before the raid, they spent two weeks building a case against Calumpong after learning about his illegal drug activity.
Calumpong allegedly had the capacity to dispose of 50 grams of shabu per week.
Calumpong was reportedly caught for illegal drugs in 2017 and 2021 but he was acquitted in court.
In Siquijor, Kim Lapinig, a 23-year-old mechanic, was apprehended at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday in Barangay Magmalalag, Larena town.
He yielded a pack of alleged shabu worth P1,000.