A 39-YEAR-OLD high-value individual (HVI) was arrested and around 80 grams of shabu worth P544,000 were seized in a buy-bust in Santa Barbara, Iloilo, at 7:13 p.m. on February 17, 2026.
Police identified the suspect as alias Marc, a resident of Barangay Pandac, Pavia, Iloilo.
Police Brigadier General Josefino Ligan, regional director of the Police Regional Office in Western Visayas (PRO 6), commended the operating units for the arrest and seizure.
“We will continue to intensify our operations against high-value drug personalities who endanger our communities. This accomplishment shows our strong commitment to protecting the people of Western Visayas from the harmful effects of illegal drugs. We ask the public to remain vigilant and to keep working with the police by reporting any suspicious activities in their neighborhoods,” Ligan said.
Recovered from the suspect were four sachets containing shabu weighing about 80 grams with an estimated standard drug price of P544,000.
Authorities also seized the buy-bust money and other non-drug items.
The suspect is under the custody of the Santa Barbara MPS for proper disposition.
Charges for violation of Sections 5 and 11, Article II of Republic Act (RA) 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, are being prepared against him.
The offenses carry penalties of life imprisonment and a fine ranging from P500,000 to P10,000,000.
The operation forms part of the continuing anti-illegal drug campaign of the PRO 6 and its provincial units targeting high-value drug personalities in Iloilo province. (Leo Solinap)
