P73.4-million shabu seized in Negros Occidental

BACOLOD CITY – More than six kilos of shabu with an estimated street value of  P73.4 million were recovered in Negros Occidental in the past two days.

Police said it was the biggest shabu haul not only in the province but also in the entire Western Visayas.

Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao, regional police director, said six kilos of shabu worth P72 million were seized in Barangay Palampas, San Carlos City at around 12:30 a.m. yesterday.

Aside from the drugs,which were wrapped in packing tape, police also recovered a motorcycle, a cell phone and P6.8 million in marked money.

The target of the drug raid, Armando and Josephine, both surnamed Paraquelles, and an alias Putot managed to escape.

Norhan Caunda, 42, and Faisalin Ibra, 21, both residents of Marawi, reportedly yielded 120 grams of shabu valued at P1.4 million in a drug bust in Barangay 4 in this city on Tuesday.

In Albay, 25 grams of shabu worth P150,000 were allegedly recovered from Manuelito Jacobe, 48, and his wife Gloria, 47, who were arrested during a raid on their suspected safehouse in Barangay Puro, Legazpi.

Edwin Lucero, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Albay head, said the suspects are “high-value” targets who reportedly get their supply of shabu from a detainee at the New Bilibid Prison.

Cavite drug busts

Four other suspected drug dealers were killed in anti-drug operations in Cavite also on Tuesday.

Ibrahim Tamano allegedly drew his gun when he sensed he had sold shabu to undercover agents in Barangay Bagtas, Tanza.

Harris Iso, Diowie Concepcion and a certain Badong, alleged members of the Iso drug ring, reportedly fired at police officers serving a search warrant at their suspected hideout in Barangay Sineguelasan, Bacoor.

Around 150 grams of shabu valued at P1.02 million, two caliber .45 pistols, two caliber .38 revolvers and a caliber .22 were recovered from the fatalities, police said.

Vigilante killings

Meanwhile, killings of alleged drug dealers by suspected vigilantes were reported in Northern Luzon also on Tuesday.

The body of Proseso Arevalo, 52, was found along the road in Barangay San Pascual, Tuba, Benguet. A piece of cardboard that read Ako’y pusher was placed near his body.

Five sachets of shabu were found near the body of Romel Ayson, 46, which bore stab wounds, and was recovered in Barangay Nalvo Sur, Luna, La Union.

Arevalo was taken by unidentified men near his house in Baguio City while Ayson was snatched by armed men who identified themselves as agents of the National Bureau of Investigation, both on Monday night, according to their relatives.

In Ilocos Norte, Armando Bayudan, 59, a resident of Barangay Elizabeth, Marcos, was reportedly on his way to deliver shabu when he was shot by motorcycle-riding men in Barangay Parado, Dingras.

Police said six sachets of shabu were recovered from the victim. – Emmanuel Tupas, Celso Amo, Raymund Catindig, Ed Amoroso, Artemio Dumlao, Cecille Suerte Felipe