• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The arrest of three minors and 10 other suspected drug personalities in a series of police buy bust operations in Negros Occidental on March 4 and 5, yielded five assorted guns, more than P325,000 worth of suspected shabu, and dried marijuana leaves.
Two minors and a laborer were arrested by the police during a buy bust operation on Monday at Burgos Street in Brgy. 9, Kabankalan City, for violation of RA 9165, also known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drug Act of 2002.
The police also recovered an estimated 35 grams of suspected shabu with a market value of P238,000 and its paraphernalia, as well as a caliber .22 revolver with five live ammunition.
Another minor, a Grade 11 student, was also apprehended by the police in a busy bust operation on Tuesday at Hacienda Carmen in Brgy. Daga, Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, that yielded an estimated 60 grams of suspected dried marijuana leaves, with a market value of P7,200.
The arrest of a watchman in Hacienda Villa Rosa, Brgy. San Isidro, Toboso, also on March 5, led to the recovery of seven sachets of suspected shabu, and a caliber .357 Magnum revolver with two ammunition.
Two caliber .22 revolvers with three ammunition and eight sachets of suspected shabu were also recovered by the police from a pedicab driver, who was nabbed on Tuesday during a buy bust operation in Hacienda Delicia, Brgy. Latasan, EB Magalona.
The apprehension of a 25-year-old woman in Hacienda Colisap, Brgy Lantad, Silay City, also yielded about 10 grams of suspected shabu with a market value of P68,000, and P2,000 in marked money, police said.
Policemen also nabbed a 34-year-old drug suspect on Monday at Sitio Embarkadero in Brgy. 1 poblacion, Ilog, that resulted in the recovery of a Smith and Wesson caliber .38 revolver with three ammunition and three sachets of suspected shabu, with a market value of P2,856.
The apprehension of three more drug suspects in the municipalities of La Castellana and Hinigaran, as well as in Bago City, also yielded another caliber .38 revolver with three ammunition and about 10 grams of suspected shabu with a market value of P67,932, police further said.*