P40 million illegal drugs seized

MANILA, Philippines — Illegal drugs worth nearly P40 million were confiscated in Cebu City and Kalinga in the past two days, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP).

PNP officer-in-charge Lt. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr. said three kilos of shabu valued at P20.4 million were recovered from Mark Ronald Matig-a, who was killed in a shootout with law enforcers in Cebu City yesterday.

Danao said Matig-a and his companion June Tunacao were selling shabu to a policeman who posed as a buyer in Barangay Careta when one of the suspects reportedly pulled out a KG-9 machine pistol when he sensed he was dealing with an undercover agent.

A policeman was shot in the chest, but was not hurt as he was wearing a bulletproof vest.

The other policemen responded and shot Matig-a. Tunacao managed to escape.

“I commend our men in Central Visayas for another job well done in line with our intensified campaign against illegal drugs,” Danao said in a statement.

On Thursday, in Kalinga, authorities uprooted and burned marijuana plants valued at P19.5 million in Tinglayan.

Brig. Gen. Randy Peralta, PNP Drug Enforcement Group director, said the marijuana plants were discovered during a raid in Barangays Loccong and Bugnay. No one was arrested during the operation.

In Bulacan, Jerryco Quiminales, 30, and Eliza Pardito were arrested in a sting in Barangay Muzon in San Jose del Monte City. The two reportedly yielded 75 grams of shabu worth P510,000.