A HIGH-VALUE individual (HVI) was arrested in a buy-bust operation that resulted in the confiscation of about 200 grams of suspected shabu worth P1,360,000 in Barangay Baldoza, La Paz District, Iloilo City at 11:13 a.m. on August 13, 2025.
The City Drug Enforcement Unit of the Iloilo City Police Office (Icpo) led the operation, with support from the Iloilo City Police Station (ICPS) 2 and the Icpo Special Weapons and Tactics (Swat) Team.
The suspect was identified as alias Sazkie, 32, single, a security guard of VG Security Agency, and a resident of Barangay Bancal, Carles, Iloilo, who was temporarily staying in La Paz District. Police classified him as an HVI.
Recovered from the suspect were 11 heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets and three knot-tied transparent plastic bags containing suspected shabu weighing about 200 grams; one strip of aluminum foil with suspected shabu residue; buy-bust money; and several non-drug items.
Police Brigadier General Josefino Ligan, regional director of the Police Regional Office in Western Visayas (PRO 6), commended the operatives for their work.
“I commend everyone for a job well done. This significant drug seizure is a clear manifestation that PRO 6 remains relentless in its efforts to eradicate the drug menace in the region,” Ligan said.
Police Colonel Kim Legada, city director of the Icpo, also praised the successful operation and issued a stern warning to individuals engaged in the illegal drug trade.
“This arrest sends a clear message that we will not allow illegal drugs to poison our communities. We will continue to hunt down drug peddlers and dismantle their operations to keep Iloilo City safe and drug-free,” Legada said.
The suspect is now in the custody of ICPS 2 and faces charges for violating Republic Act 9165, otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. (Leo Solinap/SunStar Philippines)