TWO high-value individuals and one street-level drug personality were arrested with around 200 grams of shabu worth P1.36 million during a drug bust in Zone 14, Barangay Calaparan, Arevalo District, Iloilo City, at 1:43 a.m. Thursday, October 9, 2025.
The suspects were identified as alias Ed, 52, a truck driver and resident of Barangay Sinikway, Lapuz District; alias Bebe, 39, a resident of Barangay Calaparan, Arevalo District; and alias Jan-Jan, 32, of Barangay Jalandoni Estate, Lapuz District.
Ed and Bebe were tagged as high-value individuals (HVIs), while Jan-Jan was classified as a street-value individual (SVI).
Recovered from their possession were five heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets and four knot-tied plastic bags containing shabu, with a total weight of around 200 grams and an estimated street value of P1,360,000.
Police also seized buy-bust money and various non-drug items.
The anti-drug operation was carried out by the Iloilo City Police Office (Icpo) City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU), Iloilo City Police Station 6-Station Drug Enforcement Team (ICPS 6-SDET), Icpo Special Weapons and Tactics (Swat) Team, and the Regional Intelligence Unit in Western Visayas (RIU 6).
Police Brigadier General Josefino Ligan, regional director of the Police Regional Office in Western Visayas (PRO 6), commended the operatives for their effective coordination and successful implementation of the operation.
“I commend the operating team for the successful conduct of the buy-bust operation. This accomplishment is a clear reflection of your vigilance, dedication, and relentless commitment to our campaign against illegal drugs. Your efforts not only uphold the integrity of our mandate but also protect our communities from the harm these substances bring. Keep up the good work, every successful operation brings us one step closer to a safer, drug-free Western Visayas,” Ligan said.
Meanwhile, Police Colonel Kim Legada, director of the Iloilo City Police Office, lauded the dedication of his personnel and the collaborative efforts of all involved units in maintaining peace and order in Iloilo City.
“Let every accomplishment fuel our motivation to do more for our communities. The more we arrest, the more we confiscate, the more we save — protecting the vulnerable, the innocent, and the generations to come. To our community, I urge everyone to remain united and steadfast in our fight against the menace of illegal drugs,” Legada said.
The suspects are now under the custody of ICPS 6 and will be facing charges for violation of Sections 5 (Sale of Dangerous Drugs) and 11 (Possession of Dangerous Drugs) under Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Both offenses carry the penalty of life imprisonment and fines ranging from P500,000 to P10 million. (Leo Solinap)