The Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR) has intensified its monitoring on the entry of illegal drugs after the recovery of about P14 million worth of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride or "shabu" this week.
Chief Superintendent Renato Gumban, acting director of PRO-NIR, said Wednesday, May 9 that they are continuously monitoring drug personalities in the region who might be getting supplies from other areas.
“I’m very sure some of them still exist,” Gumban said, adding that they will be put behind bars once the police complete the information gathering and validation of reports.
Gumban said they have also been closely monitoring policemen and public officials allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade.
Since October 2016, more than 40 policemen in NIR have been relieved after they were tagged in the illegal drug trade.
"We will have another list once we have consolidated the reports," Gumban said.
Last Tuesday, the Bacolod City Police Station 2 headed by Chief Inspector Benedicto Villarias Jr. conducted a drug bust at Purok Bangrus, Barangay 1 that led to a recovery of 600 grams of shabu amounting to P3 million, instead of one kilo worth P15 million initially reported by the police.
Villarias said the amount decreased after the crime laboratory officially weighed the recovered drugs.
The recovered illegal drugs were seized from the house of Reynante Villanueva, 43, who managed to escape carrying his personal firearm together with another unidentified man.
Villanueva’s wife Julie and Dennis Barcillo, who was earlier identified as John de Ocampo Martir, were arrested and charged separately before the City Prosecutor’s Office yesterday.
The Villanueva couple are facing charges for violation of Sections 5 and 11 (sale and possession of dangerous drugs) of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 while Barcillo is charged for violation of Section 11 after he yielded three sachets of shabu.
In Negros Oriental, an estimated P11 million worth of shabu hidden in coconuts were seized inside the Dumaguete City District Jail last May 7.
Four big sachets of shabu weighing one kilogram were intercepted by jail guards after an adult and a minor delivered 30 coconuts to Joram Catan, an inmate who is facing drug charges.
