6 men nabbed in City Proper anti-drug bust
Six persons were arrested in Iloilo City’s haven of drug dens Tuesday evening in Brgy. Tanza-Esperanza, City Proper district, by joint operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency 6 and the Regional Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group.
The suspects were identified as Roger Igpuara, Renante Asong, Jose Andrade Galon, Agustin Dearo, Jimmy Balasa, and Ricardo Olivar, all residents of the village.
Authorities said Igpuara operates the drug den while Asong is the designated maintainer.
Although the six were arrested, more than 10 persons holding a “pot session” before the raid were able to escape.
Igpuara was also arrested in an earlier drug buy bust, prompting two RAIDSOTG operatives to seek reinforcement but they were allegedly interrupted by an armed man who claimed to be a member of the National Bureau of Investigation.
After an encounter with the anti-drug operatives, the man entered a house near Igpuara’s drug den. The house is allegedly owned by someone related by affinity to a known drug group leader in Iloilo City.
The delay gave the other drug users a chance to escape.
“(W)e got delayed that’s why a lot of suspects fled,” PDEA 6 Regional Director Paul Ledesma said.
Ledesma said the area is composed of six clusters of drug dens.
There are small holes on the walls of the houses where a user could insert his money and the peddler could also put the sachet of illegal drug.
In another part of the house, a maintainer is posted to control the sale of illegal drugs.
The drug den was also found with assorted drug paraphernalia and sachets of illegal drugs.
Still, Igpuara denied he operates the drug den.
Olivar also said he has nothing to do with the drug operation, saying he is working in a beauty parlor.
After the raid, PDEA 6 and RAIDSOTG operatives encountered lawyer Edeljulio Romero, a known drug counsel of suspected drug personalities in Iloilo City.
Romero said he was in the area to protect the residents who are not part of the operation.
But Ledesma said he told him: “I will always have the authority to contain the area for the security of the operation, especially my personnel.”*
