Policemen apprehended 32 drug suspects and seized 19 sachets of suspected shabu with an estimated street value of P918,000 after a buy-bust operation in a drug den in Barangay Bakhaw in this city’s Mandurriao district Wednesday night, Jan. 25.
“The efforts of our operatives resulted (in) the arrest of three high-value individuals and 29 others who are in the act of using drugs. They are now in the process of having (a) drug test; tactical interrogation has been done and we are hoping that follow-up operations with regards to illegal drugs of others who are involved will be done in the soonest possible time,” Brig. Gen. Leo M. Francisco, Police Regional Office (PRO-6 director, said in a press conference on Thursday afternoon, Jan. 26.
Operatives identified the main subjects of the buy-bust as siblings Alony T. Leonor alias “Bata”, 47, and Elmer T. Leonor alias “Nonoy”, 37, both residents of Barangay Bakhaw and considered as high-value individuals; and Jeric P. Jimena, 30, said to be another major player in the local drug trade.
The brothers were caught when they handed over to a poseur buyer a sachet of shabu in exchange for P20,000, while Jimena served as their lookout.
Seven to nine persons were caught during a pot session while others were waiting outside to buy illegal drugs.
Francisco said the drug den was located in a squatter’s area and it took operatives two weeks to penetrate the place.
Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas, in a statement, expressed concern over the “number of arrests and the volume of drugs that were recovered.”
“I call on the PNP (Philippine National Police) leadership to be on (the) highest alert on the matter, otherwise we return to where we were before. I am ordering the PNP to conduct mobile checkpoints on the streets and the reported drug-infested barangays. Anti-drug operations should be continuous,” he said.PNA
