BACOLOD CITY — The Bacolod City Police Office is sustaining its operations against illegal drugs amid security preparations for the 39th MassKara Festival, which will start on October 8.
“We are now conducting operations and will continue to do so during the festival,” said Chief Inspector Sherlock Gabana, public information officer of Bacolod City Police, on Thursday.
Since September 1, anti-drug operatives here have recovered more than PHP3 million worth of suspected shabu (crystal meth), records showed.
The latest operation on Thursday led to the recovery of 11 sachets of the prohibited substance worth PHP160,000 from two suspects in Purok Bantud, Barangay Pahanocoy.
Gemma Lavega, 32, and Jerryco Lavega, 18, residents of Purok Katilingban, Barangay 39, were arrested by policemen during a buy-bust around 3:50 a.m.
On Tuesday, Rodney “Toto Turo” Mascuñana yielded 13 sachets of the prohibited substance valued at PHP200,000 as he was arrested, also at Purok Bantud, Barangay Pahanocoy in Bacolod City around 3 a.m.
Mascuñana, 44, a resident of Purok Cheriza, Barangay 27, sold a sachet of suspected shabu to a poseur-buyer.
Operatives also seized from him PHP4,000 and drug paraphernalia.
From September 1- 25, the Bacolod City Police seized 192.33 grams of suspected shabu with a street value of almost PHP2.885 million.
During the period, 35 operations were conducted while 42 persons were arrested, including two high-value targets, five street-level targets, and 35 newly-identified personalities.
A total of 95 cases were filed against the suspects.
Earlier, Senior Supt. Francisco Ebreo, acting director of Bacolod City Police, said they will step up the anti-drug operations during the 21-day MassKara Festival as large demand is reportedly expected during the festivity. (Nanette Guadalquiver/PNA)
