P6 million cocaine recovered off Isabela

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — A kilo of cocaine with an estimated value of P6 million was recovered off the coast of Divilacan town in Isabela on Saturday.

Fishermen turned over the cocaine brick, which was found wrapped in a black plastic bag in the waters off Sitio Dituwangan, Barangay Bicobian, to the Naval Intelligence and Security Group-Northern Luzon office, according to Isabela police director Col. Mariano Rodriguez.

Rodriguez said tests conducted by Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) regional office chemist Jomar Concepcion confirmed that the recovered item is cocaine.

Authorities believe the cocaine brick is related to another block, which was also confirmed as cocaine and valued at P5.6 million that washed ashore in Perez, Quezon last Thursday.

Brig. Gen. Angelito Casimiro, Cagayan Valley police director, ordered the Isabela police to coordinate with PDEA agents in investigating the drug haul, said to be the biggest in Cagayan this year.  

Casimiro urged residents of coastal villages to be on alert and report any sighting or recovery of illegal drugs.

In February last year, a plastic container packed with 18 bags of cocaine valued at P79 million, was found floating near Barangay Dipudo, also in Divilacan.

More than 100 kilos of cocaine have been recovered in the waters off Davao Oriental, Nueva Ecija, Quezon, Camarines Norte, Catanduanes, Surigao del Sur as well as Dinagat and Siargao islands since early this year.

3 drug suspects slain

Meanwhile, in Bulacan, two drug suspects were killed in a sting in San Jose del Monte City on Sunday.

Col. Emma Libunao, acting Bulacan police director, identified the fatalities as Penry Aristain and an alias Randy.

The suspects reportedly resisted arrest and fired at police officers who posed as buyers of shabu in Barangay Kaypian.

Libunao said Aristain was on the drug watchlist.

Police said a .38-caliber revolver, an improvised shotgun, 23 sachets of shabu, marked money and a Honda motorcycle were recovered from the fatalities.

Five other persons were arrested in drug busts in Barangay Banga First in Plaridel town, also on Sunday. They reportedly yielded 68 sachets of shabu and marked money.

In Nueva Ecija, Edward Bernabe was killed in an alleged shootout with anti-narcotics agents in Barangay Mayapyap Sur, Cabanatuan City on Saturday.