- GILBERT BAYORAN
A series of buy-bust operations conducted by the police in Negros Occidental during the weekend led to the apprehension of four suspects and the seizure of P68,000 worth of suspected shabu and an unlicensed firearm.
Armed with a search warrant issued by Judge Leonardo Facultad Jr., the local police and troopers of the PNP Special Action Force swooped down on the house of Elmer Ortencio Sept. 17 at Hacienda Loreta Chang in Brgy. 10, Victorias City.
The raid led to the arrest of Ortencio, 45, and the recovery of a caliber 45 pistol with a magazine containing seven ammunition, and an improvised tooter with residue of suspected shabu, among others.
A day earlier, policemen also arrested Johnbert Matarong in another buy-bust operation in Purok Paglaum, Barangay Zone-2, Cadiz City.
The police recovered about 1.1 grams of suspected shabu, with a market value of P7,480, and P500 in marked money.
Another buy-bust operation at Villa Hergon in Brgy. Rizal, Silay City, also led to the arrest of two more drug suspects, identified by the police as Glendo Antonio and Leowell Figueroa, both classified as street level individual drug personalities.
The police also recovered about eight grams of suspected shabu, with a market value of P54,400, and marked money of P3,200.
All the arrested suspects are now locked up in jail./GB
