DRUG SEARCH. Agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency outside one of the houses at a residential subdivision in Talisay City, Negros Occidental where they conducted a search operation on Thursday morning (July 25, 2019). The team seized a total of 800 grams of suspected shabu worth PHP5.4 million and arrested five suspects. (Screenshot from DYHB RMN Bacolod)
BACOLOD CITY -- About PHP5.4 million worth of suspected shabu were seized by agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) during an operation in two houses at Avida Village North Point in Talisay City, Negros Occidental on Thursday morning.
Nicolas Gomez, provincial officer of PDEA-Negros Occidental and Bacolod City, told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) the amount is equivalent to a total volume of 800 grams.
Arrested were Rhodora Hamantoc, 57, and her nephew Markline Cuadra, 25, who were subjects of the search warrant issued by Judge Estefanio Libutan of the Regional Trial Court Branch 50 in this city.
Three others, present in Hamantoc’s residence, were also apprehended -- Eul Vincent Suanico, 33; Robert Discutido, 23; and Ellan Vhone Hamantoc, 19.
Gomez said the suspects are still in their custody, but they will be endorsed for detention at the PDEA-Regional Office 6 (Western Visayas) in Iloilo City after cases are filed against them on Friday.
A joint team from the PDEA regional and provincial offices conducted what was considered a “high-impact operation” that started around 9 a.m.
One of the operatives, who requested not to be named, said that Hamantoc and Cuadra have been placed under surveillance for some time.
The two are believed to be previous residents of Purok Kagaykay, Barangay 2, a village in Bacolod City known for the presence of several drug personalities.
Both Hamantoc and Cuadra, considered high-value targets, have been previously arrested for drug-related offenses.
During the operation, the PDEA team, with K-9 dogs, first searched the house of Hamantoc before proceeding to the residence where Cuadra was staying.
The recovery in Talisay was the largest in the series of operations of PDEA in Negros Occidental this month.
On July 23, the team led by Intelligence Agent I Sisa Cortez arrested seven persons and dismantled a drug den at Barangay 5 in San Carlos City. At least PHP136,000 worth of suspected shabu were recovered from the suspects.
On July 5, two suspects, who yielded about PHP340,000 worth of shabu, were also arrested in a buy-bust operation at Barangay Mandalagan here by the team of Intelligence Agent I Mario Portugal Jr. (PNA)
