Negros Occ drug busts yield P1.1M more shabu

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — Policemen in Negros Occidental seized another P1.1 million worth of shabu in separate anti-drug operations on September 3 and 4 in that province.

The police operatives arrested drug suspect Joven Catipay on Sept. 4 at Barangay Efigenio Lizares in Talisay City, Negros Occidental, and confiscated from his possession four big sachets of shabu, estimated to have a street market value of P800,000.

The apprehension of Catipay also yielded P500 in marked money and P1,000 cash, believed to be proceeds from the sale of illegal drugs, according to the Talisay City Police.

Other buy-bust operations were conducted on Monday in the cities of San Carlos and Bacolod, and in Calatrava town, all in Negros Occidental, resulting in the arrest of five suspects, including two minors, who also yielded P365,000 worth of shabu.

Nabbed in Calatrava was Melanie Comawas, while the two minors, whom she allegedly used as couriers, were arrested in neighboring San Carlos City. The arrest of Comawas and the two minors yielded P180,000 worth of shabu.

In Bacolod City, the police arrested two suspects, William Gonzales and Vicente Sudayon, who in turn were caught in possession of 18 grams of shabu worth P185,000.

Meanwhile, the police served a search warrant — issued by Judge Cyclamen Fernandez Jison — and resulted in the arrest of Jaron Espares, a meat vendor and resident of Brgy. 6 in Isabela town, Negros Occidental.

Espares allegedly yielded a hand grenade, a .38-caliber revolver with five rounds of ammunition, two sachets of shabu, and dried marijuana leaves, according to reports of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office.