The police seized P5,032,000 worth of suspected shabu after they arrested a member of the notorious Caunda Drug Group and a high-value target in separate buy-bust operations in Bacolod City on Wednesday and Thursday, Nov. 22 and 23.
Marlon Pango, alias “Mar-Mar”, was arrested with 640 grams of suspected shabu valued at P4,352,000 in Purok Pilipinhon, Brgy. 30 at about 1:48 a.m. on Thursday, the police reported.
City Drug Enforcement Unit Chief, Capt. Joven Mogato, told DIGICAST NEGROS that Pango was a confirmed member of the Caunda Drug Group.
He said that the operation was a result of about six weeks of monitoring of the suspect.
Mogato added that the suspect was arrested in 2018 by the Regional Drug Enforcement Unit of the Philippine National Police in Brgy. Handumanan.
However, one year later, Pango’s case was dismissed and he was freed from prison.
The suspect alleged that the suspected shabu was planted, but Mogato was quick to debunk the allegation pointing out that they have witnesses and evidence.
“We had coordinated this with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and our operatives were wearing body cameras during the operation”, he said.
Mogato also assured that they are still monitoring other members of the Caunda Group, which is operating in Bacolod, Negros Occidental, and Cebu province.
Charges against Pango will be filed on Friday, he added.
Rodney Benedicto, a high-value target, was arrested by Bacolod City Police Station 2 operatives Wednesday night.
Confiscated from him were 100 grams of suspected shabu valued at P680,000, the police said.
The suspects are now under the custody of the Bacolod City Police.
With these two big drug hauls in Bacolod, BGen. Sidney Villaflor, Police Regional Director of Western Visayas, reported that the total shabu seized in the region overnight was worth P13.1 million.
Pango and Benedicto were among the 13 drug personalities who were arrested in Western Visayas on Wednesday and Thursday.
Villaflor said that the accomplishment is not just of PRO-6 but also of the people who helped in the arrest and confiscation of the illegal drugs.
He thanked the community for fully supporting the campaign against illegal drugs, adding “We will continue to push for a drug-free Western Visayas”.*