DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines — Various units under the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (NORPPO) on Tuesday conducted simultaneous anti-illegal drugs operations around the province that resulted in the confiscation of at least 100 grams of shabu, worth about P1.26 million, and firearms, among others.
Senior Superintendent Raul Tacaca, NORPPO director, said the police units served search warrants in various towns and cities in the province, as they implemented the Synchronized Enhanced Managing Police Operations (SEMPO) against identified drug suspects.
Tacaca said the operating units were the Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit (PDEU), Special Operations Group (SOG), Provincial Intelligence Branch (PIB), City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU), and municipal police stations in Negros Oriental.
PDEU team leader, Senior Inspector Don Richmond Conag, said his team served the search warrant against Joel Flores of Barangay Calindagan in Dumaguete City, which resulted in the seizure of at least 60 grams of shabu — estimated to be worth about P750,000 — cash proceeds of P18,000, two digital weighing scales, and drugs paraphernalia.
The search was witnessed by Calindagan Councilman Welly Enumerabillon, and the media. Flores told the media that the source of his drugs is Muntinlupa, and that his contact is a certain Benga Badon, but the package is delivered to him by another person, he does not know, at a pre-arranged place in south Bagacay. He also admitted that he already remitted P40,000 last Sunday to an unknown account number.
PIB head, Senior Insp. Armel Von Alegria reported that in their search of the house of Ruel Villaflores at Brgy. Banilad in Dumaguete, they got about 15 grams of shabu, with an estimated value of P170,000, and drugs paraphernalia. Villaflores is a suspected member of the group of Mark Abadilla who was recently caught with two kilos of shabu at Brgy. Bajumpandan, this city.
SOG team leader, Insp. Allen June Germodo, said they raided a house at Brgy. Looc in Dumaguete — being used as a drug den — and recovered 12 sachets of shabu, weighing 15 grams and valued at about P170,000, and paraphernalia.
The search target, Mark Terence Quinicot, however eluded arrest, but the police collared suspected drug runners, who were in the area at the time — Ian Babor who had a sachet of shabu in his possession, and Pro Castillo with three sachets and cash proceeds of P770.
Germodo said the police will also be filing a case against the house owner, a certain Filo Serad and his sister, for allegedly maintaining a drug den.
In Sibulan town, the CDEU, headed by Sr. Insp. Vann Joel Tingson, raided the house of Christopher Agraviador, and seized from him 15 grams of shabu with an estimated vaslue of P170,000. The team later conducted a buy-bust operation against Alex Avancenia who yielded a sachet of shabu.
Tacaca said the Tuesday operations was the initial salvo of SEMPO, which he said will sustained to rid the streets of illegal drugs in Negros Oriental. He, however, sought the help of the public to do their share in addressing the drug menace.