₱2.5-M in ‘shabu’ seized in Negros pension house

BACOLOD CITY – Some ₱2.5 million worth of shabu was seized from four persons in a buy-bust operation inside a pension house in Barangay San Pedro, Binalbagan, Negros Occidental, early Sunday.

Police arrested the target of the sting as Herme Jun Abalajon, 24, of Kabankalan City; and his alleged drug runner Jomarie Ferrer, 21, of Barangay Enclaro.

Also nabbed were Joebel Siaotong, 31, of Barangay San Pedro; and Yan-Yan Comita, 31, of Kabankalan City, who were present during the operation.

Maj. Fernando Somblingo Jr., town police chief, said the four suspects had just finished an alleged “pot session” inside the room when they conducted the operation around 3:30 a.m.

Police recovered the said contraband hidden under the bed inside the room, and also confiscated some drug paraphernalia, the ₱1,000 marked money, and ₱1,650 cash.

Somblingo said the suspects were supposed to repack the shabu for distribution in time for Sinulog Festival in the neighboring city of Kabankalan, and other areas in southern Negros, which is their mobility corridor.

Somblingo said the item was allegedly sourced out from Cebu and was transported here via San Carlos City.

Somblingo said Abalajon was placed under monitoring for more than two months since he would usually transfer from one place to another. He (Abalajon) is considered a high-value target because of the big volume of illegal drugs recovered from him, the police chief added.