OPERATIVES OF the Dumangas Municipal Council Police Station under the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (Ippo) arrested a high-value individual (HVI) and seized about 80 grams of shabu worth P544,000 in Barangay Tabucan, Dumangas, Iloilo at 3 p.m. March 12, 2026.
Police identified the suspect as alias Baby Boy, 26, a resident of Barangay Tabucan. Members of the Station Drug Enforcement Team of Dumangas Municipal Council Police Station arrested the suspect with support from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Group – Special Operations Unit 6 (PDEG-SOU 6) and the Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit of the Ippo.
Authorities said the suspect is an HVI involved in the illegal drug trade in the municipality.
Investigators seized eight heat-sealed plastic sachets of
shabu weighing about 80 grams with an estimated street value of P544,000, buy-bust money, and non-drug evidence.
The suspect allegedly sold a sachet of shabu to an undercover operative during the operation.
Police conducted an inventory of the items at the scene before bringing them to the Dumangas Municipal Council Police Station for laboratory examination.
The suspect is in police custody. Authorities will file charges for violation of Section 5 and Section 11, Article II of Republic Act (RA) 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Brigadier General Josefino Ligan, regional director of the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO 6), commended the units for the operation.
“This successful operation underscores our sustained commitment to maintaining a drug-free and safer Western Visayas. The arrest of a high-value individual and the recovery of a significant volume of illegal drugs send a strong message that PRO 6 will continue to intensify its operations to protect our communities from the harmful effects of illegal drugs,” Ligan said.
Ligan urged the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to law enforcement authorities. (Leo Solinap/SunStar Philippines)