A HIGH-VALUE individual (HVI) was arrested after police seized around 80 grams of shabu worth P544,000 and a caliber .45 firearm during a buy-bust in Barangay Bagacay, Passi City, Iloilo, on August 25, 2026.
Police Brigadier General Randulf Tuaño, director of Police Regional Office 6 (PRO 6), commended the Passi City Police Station operatives and emphasized the role of intelligence-driven policing in the campaign against illegal drugs.
“This successful operation proves that our campaign against illegal drugs is anchored on solid intelligence, thorough validation, and careful execution. Our goal is not merely to arrest those involved, but to identify and sever the supply lines of illegal drugs that endanger our communities,” Tuaño said.
Police identified the suspect as alias Rino, 42, a resident and farmer from Passi City.
The Station Drug Enforcement Team conducted the operation following target profiling, surveillance, and intelligence validation.
Operatives recovered one sachet of shabu used as the buy-bust item and 10 large sachets containing shabu, with an estimated Standard Drug Price (SDP) of P544,000.
Also recovered were the buy-bust money, a single-shot break-type caliber .45 firearm, two rounds of live ammunition, and non-drug items.
Tuaño noted that seizing the firearm removes an immediate threat to public safety.
“Every gram of illegal drugs we seize is a quantity that will no longer reach our youth, families, and communities. Every illegal firearm we recover represents a potential threat removed from our streets. This is the goal of our campaign—to protect the lives and futures of our fellow citizens,” he said.
The suspect remains in Passi City Police Station custody facing charges under Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002) and Republic Act 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act).
PRO 6 urged the public to continue providing reliable information regarding illegal drugs and loose firearms. (Leo Solinap)