DUMAGUETE CITY – Simultaneous anti-illegal drugs operations conducted in Negros Oriental on Tuesday yielded some 100 grams of suspected "shabu" worth more or less PHP1.2 million and assorted drug paraphernalia and firearms.
Senior Supt. Raul Tacaca, Philippine National Police (PNP) provincial director of Negros Oriental, said under the Synchronized Enhanced Managing Police Operations (SEMPO), around 20 search warrants were served in various municipalities and cities in the province.
Operating units included the Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit (PDEU), Special Operations Group (SOG), Provincial Intelligence Branch (PIB), City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU) and the municipal police stations.
PDEU team leader, Senior Insp. Don Richmond Conag, and his team served the search warrant against Joel Flores of Barangay Calindagan, Dumaguete City, which resulted in the confiscation of at least 60 grams of alleged shabu with a Dangerous Drugs Board-estimated value of more or less PHP750,000, cash proceeds of over PHP18,000, two digital weighing scales and drug paraphernalia.
According to Conag, a brief chase ensued when the suspect sensed the presence of the arriving lawmen.
Calindagan village councilor Welly Enumerabillon and members of the media witnessed the search.
In an interview, the suspect said the source of his illegal drugs is Muntinlupa in Metro Manila. He identified a certain Benga Badon as his contact but said another person unknown to him delivered the package in a pre-arranged place in South Bagacay, here.
Further interrogation disclosed that he remitted PHP40,000 last Sunday to a certain account number.
The PIB, meanwhile, led by Senior Insp. Armel Von Alegria also searched the house of a certain Ruel Villaflores in Barangay Banilad, this city, which yielded more or less 15 grams of suspected shabu estimated to cost PHP177,000 and other illegal drug paraphernalia.
Alegria said the suspect is in the target list of the PIB since he was identified as a member of the group of Mark Abadilla who recently yielded two kilos of shabu during a search in his rented house in Barangay Bajumpandan, also in Dumaguete.
On the other hand, the SOG headed by team leader, Insp. Allen June Germodo, also swooped down on a house in Looc, Dumaguete City, believed to be used as a drug den.
However, the subject of the search, Mark Terence Quinicot, eluded police dragnet but law enforcers recovered during the search 12 sachets believed to contain shabu weighing some 15 grams with a DDB-estimated value of PHP170,000 and various drug paraphernalia.
Incidental to the search was the presence of suspected runners of the suspect, namely, Ian Babor of Malaga, Bindoy town, with one sachet of suspected shabu, and Pro Castillo with three sachets of suspected shabu and cash proceeds of PHP770.
Germodo said the police will also file a case against the house owner, a certain Filo Serad, and his sister for allegedly maintaining a drug den.
In Sibulan town, 15 grams of shabu with a DDB-estimated value of PHP170,000 were also recovered during a search at the residence of Christopher Agraviador.
The Dumaguete City Drug Enforcement Unit headed by Senior Insp. Vann Joel Tingson also conducted buy-bust operation against a certain Alex Avancenia who yielded a sachet of suspected shabu.
Tacaca said this is just an initial salvo of SEMPO, and it will be sustained to rid the streets of illegal drugs in Negros Oriental.
He, however, sought the help and cooperation of the public and communities to do their share in addressing the drug menace. (PNA)
