High-Impact Operation in Iloilo City Leads to Arrest of Drug Suspects and Seizure of Illegal Substances Worth Over 1.4 Million Pesos
ILOILO CITY — In a high-impact operation conducted in Barangay Hipodromo, Iloilo City, law enforcement authorities successfully apprehended four High-Value Individuals (HVI) and two Street-Level Individuals (SLI), confiscating a staggering 215 grams of illegal drugs with an estimated street value of 1,462,000.00 pesos. The operation, which took place at approximately 1:05 pm on May 31, 2023, targeted violators of the Republic Act No. 9165, commonly known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
The suspects apprehended during the operation were identified as Jeffrey Pamosino, also known as “Japz,” Joel Libuna, alias “Jo,” Vincent Paul Caturas, alias “Paul,” and Philip Esmao, alias “Philip,” all HVIs residing in various barangays in Iloilo City. Additionally, two SLIs, Abbie Natinga, known as “Abbie,” and Jenelyn Dela Peña, alias “Inday,” were also arrested. Their personal details and addresses were provided for identification purposes.
The operation was carried out under the supervision of PCOL Joeresty P. Coronica, Chief of the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO), along with the dedicated officers of the ICPO City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU), led by PLTCOL Antonio P. Benitez Jr., the OIC of CDEU, and PCPT Roque C. Gimeno III, the CDEU Team Leader. The operation also included personnel from the ICPS 1 Station Drug Enforcement Team (SDET), led by PCPT Peter John Ramos, the OIC of ICPS 1.
During the buy-bust operation, law enforcement officers seized various items related to the illegal drug trade. These included one heat-sealed transparent plastic sachet containing a white crystalline substance suspected to be shabu, along with 32 additional sachets also containing shabu. The authorities also confiscated buy-bust money amounting to Php 15,000, two cellular phones (one android and one keypad), a black weighing scale, a transparent plastic cannister, a glass water pipe, three lighters, an empty plastic sachet bundle, an improvised stick, and an orange-colored pouch.
Following the arrest, the suspects were informed of their constitutional rights, as outlined by the Miranda doctrine, in a dialect they understood. They were subsequently brought to ICPS 1 for proper legal processing and disposition.
