Nearly P6M in drugs seized in Holy Week

Anti-narcotics operatives confiscated 512.31 grams of suspected shabu with an estimated value of P5.7 million from March 26 to April 1

And that’s just in Central Visayas. One way President Duterte can ramp up the campaign against illegal drugs is to get inputs from some Chinese officials, Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III suggested.

Anti-narcotics operatives under Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 seized P5.7 million worth of illegal drugs during the Holy Week.

Chief Supt. Robert Quenery, PRO 7 director, said they conducted 119 drug busts and arrested 165 persons.

Operatives seized 512.31 grams of white crystals believed to be shabu from the suspects and accommodated 30 drug surrenderers.

Quenery said the Cebu City Police Office ranked first after the seizure of 418 grams of “shabu” worth P4.7 million from security guard Mario de Jesus, who was arrested in Sitio Red Rads, Barangay Basak on Good Friday.

Last March 28, customs administration student Orpheus Pangilinan was caught with P2.8 million of illegal drugs in Sitio Romblon, Barangay Inayawan.

The operations started on March 26 and ended on April 1.

Quenery said no major incident happened during the observance of Holy Week in Cebu and other parts of Central Visayas, except in Canlaon City, Negros Oriental where three persons died in a shootout at 3 p.m. on Good Friday during a riot in a cockpit.

The fatalities were Barangay Budlasan, Canlaon City Councilor Elmer Patiña and Glenn Edjan Galvan. They were leaders of opposing groups.

Wounded were Patiña’s relative Jeric, Edmund Galvan, Mark Glen Galvan and Alex Taburada. A stray bullet killed Victor Bravo and wounded two others.