MALAYBALAY CITY, Bukidnon — A predawn anti-drug operation in this city ended with the arrest of a 48-year-old man and the seizure of more than P103,000 worth of suspected shabu, according to police.
The operation was carried out at around 1:20 a.m. on Sunday, September 6, in Purok 6, Barangay Casisang, where operatives from the Malaybalay City Police Station Drug Enforcement Unit, the 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company, and the Provincial Intelligence Unit conducted a buy-bust operation.
Police identified the suspect only by his alias “Magins.” Authorities described him as an alleged street-level drug dealer.
During the operation, law enforcers recovered eight heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets containing a white crystalline substance believed to be methamphetamine hydrochloride, commonly known as shabu.
The seized substance had a combined weight of 15.148 grams and was estimated by authorities to have a street value of P103,006.
Aside from the suspected illegal drugs, police also confiscated a P1,000 bill, a black wallet, and a gold Isuzu Crosswind SUV reportedly associated with the operation.
Suspected drugs sent for laboratory examination
Following the arrest, the seized substances were turned over to the Bukidnon Provincial Forensic Unit for qualitative and quantitative examination.
The laboratory examination is important in determining the identity and actual composition of the seized substance, while the evidence will form part of the case against the suspect.
Police said “Magins” remains under the custody of the Malaybalay City Police Station for documentation and proper disposition. Authorities are pursuing charges for alleged violations of Sections 5 and 11, Article II of Republic Act No. 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
As with any criminal allegation, the suspect is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Bukidnon sees continuing anti-drug operations
The Malaybalay operation comes amid continuing anti-illegal-drug operations across Bukidnon and the wider Northern Mindanao region.
Recent enforcement activities show that police and anti-narcotics authorities have continued targeting suspected street-level personalities as well as individuals classified as high-value targets.
In late August, for example, a separate operation in Pangantucan, Bukidnon resulted in the arrest of a 43-year-old man identified by police as a regional priority target. Authorities reported recovering 60.5 grams of suspected shabu, which they valued at approximately P411,400. The evidence was likewise submitted for laboratory examination.
Another recent operation in Valencia City resulted in the arrest of three alleged drug personalities and the seizure of approximately 42 grams of suspected shabu valued by authorities at P288,592. PDEA-10 said the operation was aimed at an alleged drug den and involved coordination between PDEA and police units.
Police operations elsewhere in Northern Mindanao have also produced significant seizures. The Philippine News Agency recently reported that separate operations in Pampanga, Iloilo and Batangas yielded 2.7 kilograms of suspected shabu worth an estimated P18.5 million, highlighting the continuing nationwide focus on intelligence-driven anti-drug operations.
Police continue to target drug supply
The latest Malaybalay arrest adds another case to the continuing enforcement campaign in Bukidnon, where authorities have repeatedly conducted buy-bust and intelligence-led operations against suspected drug personalities.
For the Malaybalay case, however, the immediate focus remains on the 15.148 grams of suspected shabu seized, the arrest of the 48-year-old suspect, and the ongoing forensic examination of the evidence.
The eventual outcome of the case will depend on the evidence presented and the appropriate legal proceedings.
WWC ONE MEDIA J.M.S
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