SILAY CITY -- An estimated P131,000 worth of illegal drugs were seized from a drug surrenderee in a raid at Zone 5, Barangay Mambulac here Wednesday.
Superintendent Willy Diel, chief of Silay City Police Station, identified the suspect as Edgar “Bahaw” Bayona, 31.
Bayona was playing an illegal numbers game near his house when police sighted him, and even tried to escape. He was served a search warrant issued by Judge Ana Celeste Bernad of Regional Trial Court Branch 69.
Diel said they recovered from Bayona eight big sachets and six small sachets of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride, locally known as "shabu," drug paraphernalia, two live ammunition of .38 caliber, cellular phone, and P13,330 cash.
He added that Bayona is considered a big drug personality in the city, as he was included in the station’s drugs list before the implementation of Oplan Tokhang.
Bayona gets his supply from Bacolod, Diel said, quoting the suspect.
The operation was conducted after police received complaints from his neighbors about his illegal activity, but he was already placed under surveillance for several months, the polic chief said.
Bayona also has a murder case.
He is detained at the station’s custodial facility for the filing of charges for violation of Sections 11 and 12 of Republic Act 9165 or Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Mayor Mark Golez commended the accomplishment of the city police.
“I thanked them for a job well done,” he said.
Golez pointed out that the war against illegal drugs is an unending fight so he challenged the police to do more.
This is in consonance with the war against illegal drugs of President Rodrigo Duterte, he added.
In another development, two men were arrested in separate drug bust operations in Bacolod City on Tuesday.
Chief Inspector Jovil Sedel, head of Police Station 6, said Godfrey Napilan, 38, of Purok Rio Vista, Barangay Taculing, was collared by police after he yielded four sachets of "shabu," an improvised tooter, and the P200 marked money.
Ramon Martinez, 41, of Rizal Lopez Jaena Street, Barangay 27 was arrested after he sold "shabu" to a police agent for P200.
Police recovered from Martinez six sachets of "shabu," an improvised tooter, and the P200 marked money.