OPERATIVES of the Santa Barbara Municipal Police Station (MPS) under the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (Ippo) arrested a high-value individual (HVI) and his accomplice and seized about 140 grams of suspected shabu worth P952,000 in a buy-bust operation at 8:25 p.m. on February 10, 2026, in Barangay Tungay, Santa Barbara, Iloilo.
Arrested were alias Nene, 32, unemployed, tagged as an HVI, and alias Arn, 58, a tricycle driver classified as a street-value individual (SVI). Both suspects are residents of Santa Barbara, Iloilo.
Seized from their possession were 10 transparent plastic sachets containing suspected shabu, including the buy-bust item, along with marked money and other non-drug items. The confiscated illegal drugs have a standard drug price of P952,000.
The operation was carried out by personnel of the Santa Barbara MPS in coordination with the Ippo Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit – Special Operations Group Team 1 and the Provincial Intelligence Unit.
Authorities said the suspects are now under the custody of the Santa Barbara MPS pending the filing of charges for violation of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Police Brigadier General Josefino Ligan, regional director of the Police Regional Office in Western Visayas (PRO 6), commended the operating units for the successful anti-drug operation.
“This accomplishment reflects Police Regional Office 6’s strong and sustained commitment to the fight against illegal substances. Every confiscation disrupts the supply chain and helps protect families and communities from the harmful effects of drugs,” Ligan said.
PRO 6 emphasized the importance of community involvement in the anti-drug campaign, urging the public to stay vigilant and report suspicious activities to ensure a safer, drug-free Western Visayas. (Leo Solinap/SunStar Philippines)