BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Philippine National Police said yesterday that it has neutralized three local drug groups in Negros Occidental, with three more to go.
P/Lt. Abegael Donasco, spokesperson of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, identified those considered neutralized as the Burgos, Ramos, and Macundato drug groups.
The three remaining local drug syndicates being targeted for dismantling and neutralization are the Bugalon, Divinagracia, and Virtusio groups, Donasco said.
The anti-drug operations of the NOCPPO in 2020 led to the neutralization of 868 suspected drug pushers, following their arrests, and the recovery of 4.02 kilos of suspected shabu, with a market value of P27.4 million, and 8.8 kilos of dried marijuana leaves, worth P1.06 million.
Two other drug suspects, meanwhile, were arrested in Silay and Kabankalan, Negros Occidental, on Feb. 1 and Jan. 31, respectively.
Nabbed during a buy-bust operation in Brgy. 3, Silay City, was Jeffrey Simple, 34, of Brgy. Rizal in the city, who yielded about 12 grams of suspected shabu, worth P81,600, P290 in cash, and P3,500 in buy-bust money.
A certain Jose Marie Tombucon, alias Uwang, 22, also yielded three grams of suspected shabu, worth P20,400, during his arrest in Brgy. 2, Kabankalan City, on Sunday.
Initial investigations of the police showed that Tombucon tried to flee, after he was endorsed to the Kabankalan City Police Station, for violation of health protocols for Covid-19.*
