A HIGH-VALUE drug suspect, identified as alias Leovi, was arrested during a buy-bust in Concepcion, Iloilo, on May 21, 2025 conducted by the Concepcion Municipal Police Station (MPS), under the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (Ippo).
Ippo officer-in-charge Police Colonel Roland V. Bulalacao identified the suspect as a single resident of Concepcion with a prior record for drug offenses.
“The Ippo is fully committed to taking down illegal drug networks and protecting our Ilonggo community. We will not stop until every drug offender is arrested,” Bulalacao said.
The operation took place around 4 p.m. along the provincial road in Sitio Sumpa, Barangay Poblacion, Concepcion. According to Police Major Samuel Vipinosa, Concepcion MPS chief, the suspect was arrested after handing over one heat-sealed sachet of suspected shabu worth P6,800 to a police poseur buyer.
A subsequent search led to the recovery of three more sachets of suspected shabu weighing about 80 grams, with a street value of P544,000.
Police Corporal Mark Anthony Bosico, Concepcion MPS case investigator, said the operation resulted from a month-long intelligence validation process initiated by concerned citizens' reports. Authorities believe the drugs originated from Manila and were distributed locally.
The Station Drug Enforcement Team (SDET) of Concepcion MPS led the operation, supported by Team 3 of the Ippo Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit (PDEU).
Authorities recovered four sachets of suspected shabu, the P6,800 buy-bust money, and various non-drug items from the suspect.
The suspect, previously released on bail for another drug-related offense, is now in Concepcion MPS custody. He will face charges for violating Sections 5 and 11 of Republic Act 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Police ensured the suspect's constitutional rights were explained. They conducted the inventory of seized items according to Section 21 of RA 9165. The confiscated drugs will be submitted to the Philippine National Police – (PNP) Regional Forensic Unit in Western Visayas for examination.
Bulalacao commended the dedication and coordination of Concepcion MPS and PDEU Team 3. He emphasized the importance of community support in the province’s anti-drug campaign. (Leo Solinap/SunStar Philippines)