BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Philippine National Police seized on Tuesday and Wednesday about P3.5 million of suspected shabu from nine drug suspects arrested in Negros Island.
The joint buy-bust operation of the local police and Regional Drug Enforcement Unit 7 in Brgy. Cadawinonan, Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, led to the arrest of Jimmy Tanilon, considered by the PNP as a High Value Individual drug personality.
The apprehension of Tanilon, alias Jimjim, yielded an estimated half-a-kilo of suspected shabu, worth P3.4 million, P3,000 in marked money and a digital weighing scale.
Eight other drug suspects were also arrested by the police in Negros Occidental that yielded P194,000 worth of suspected shabu.
Nabbed during a buy-bust operation yesterday in Brgy. Guinhalaran, Silay City, were Elbert Carado and Robert Lopez.
The apprehension of Carado and Lopez yielded nine grams of suspected shabu, with a street market value of P61,200, and its paraphernalia, marked money of P500 and a cellular phone.
Another buy-bust operation by the police at San Esteban Village in Brgy. Lag-asan, Bago City, on Tuesday yielded 8.5 grams of suspected shabu, with a street market value of P57,000, P600 in marked money and P500 in cash believed to be proceeds from the sale of illegal drugs.
Nabbed during the buy-bust operation were Julie Ann de Oca, Richard Porcel, Vernon Tagamolila and Jeffrey de Jesus.
Two other drug suspects identified as Timber Jan Ausan and Jordan Malanday were also apprehended by the police on Tuesday in another buy-bust operation in Purok Tumpok in Brgy. Zone 15, Talisay City, Negros Occidental.
The arrest of Ausan and Malanday yielded 8.5 grams of suspected shabu, with a street market value of P57,800, and P900 in cash believed to be proceeds from the sale of illegal drugs.
Police also searched the house of Joel Epogon in Sitio Manluy-a, Brgy. San Jose, Sipalay City, by virtue of a search warrant issued by Judge Rodney Magbanua, on Tuesday.
Epogon, however, managed to escape, the Sipalay police said.
The raid yielded P12,000 worth of suspected shabu, a rifle grenade, a fragmentation grenade, an airgun, a 22 caliber complete barrel, two empty magazines of M-16 and M-14 rifles, and five ammunition of 22 caliber and M-16 rifle.*
