THE Iloilo Police Provincial Office (Ippo) arrested two high-value individuals (HVIs) and two street-level individuals (SLIs) in an anti-drug buy-bust operation in Barangay Poblacion Zone 2, Estancia, Iloilo, seizing nearly P2 million worth of suspected shabu at 12:43 a.m. on August 10, 2025.
The operation, led by the Ippo Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit (PDEU) under Police Major Dadje Delima, took place at 12:43 a.m. and targeted a newly identified HVI known as alias Trenos, 31, single, jobless, and a resident of Barangay Poblacion Zone 2, Estancia.
Also arrested were alias Buloy, another newly identified HVI, 40, single, jobless, and a resident of the same barangay; alias Caloy, SLI, 32, single, a resident of Barangay Cano-an, Estancia; and alias Rikoy, SLI, 41, married, jobless, and a resident of Barangay Guinticdan, Carles, Iloilo.
Police said the arrest followed nearly three months of intelligence validation based on information from concerned citizens. Reports indicated that Trenos sourced his supply from Manila and distributed it in Estancia, Carles, and parts of Capiz province.
Authorities confiscated about 280 grams of shabu valued at P1,904,000.
The suspects are in the custody of Estancia Municipal Police Station (MPS) and face charges for violating Republic Act (RA) 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Police Brigadier General Josefino Ligan, regional director of Police Regional Office in Western Visayas (PRO 6), commended the operatives for their relentless efforts against illegal drugs.
“This accomplishment is a testament to our unwavering commitment to rid Western Visayas of illegal drugs. We will continue to hunt down drug traffickers to protect our communities from the harms of this menace,” Ligan said.
Police Colonel Bayani Razalan, director of Ippo, praised the coordinated effort of the operating units and the community’s role in the arrest.
“Ang ini nga madinalag-on nga operasyon nagapamatood sang aton bug-os nga dedikasyon sa pagtapna sang ilegal nga droga diri sa aton probinsya sang Iloilo. Nagapasalamat gid ako sing daku sa tanan naton nga kasimanwa nga naghatag sang impormasyon nga nangin rason sang pagsikop sang mga imbolbado sa ilegal nga droga," he said.
(This successful operation proves our full dedication to the fight against illegal drugs here in our province of Iloilo. I am very grateful to all our fellow citizens who provided information that led to the arrest of those involved in illegal drugs.)
Razalan urged for continued cooperation in liberating the province from illegal drugs and ensuring the safety of all citizens. (Leo Solinap/SunStar Philippines)