Huge quantity of illegal drugs, firearms seized

ILOILO CITY – Operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Regional Special Operations Group recovered a huge quantity of illegal drugs and firearms during an entrapment operation Friday night in Mandurriao district.

The entrapment operation also resulted in the arrest of a suspected big-time drug pusher in Western Visayas, a minor and a former disc jockey turned businessman.

The PDEA recovered a plastic bag containing shabu which the suspects sold to agents for P25,000, three medium and small plastic sachets also containing shabu, dried marijuana leaves, pieces of paper, empty plastic sachets used in repacking, a 40 cal. grenade launcher, a 22 cal. revolver, and a digital weighing scale. They also impounded a Mitsubishi car used by the suspects.

A source at the PDEA said they will file criminal charges for violation of Republic Act 2165 probably by tomorrow against Jun Diestro, Ferdinand Vargas and the minor.

Diestro, a resident of Ba­rangay Taft North, is number five in the watchlist of suspected big-time drug pushers in Region 6, the source said.

Quoting from the incident report, SPO2 Marcos Tio of the Man­durriao police said that Diestro is a member of the Preven­dido group, which deals in illegal drugs. Diestro, the source said, is married to a certain Ana Prevendido.

The 32-year-old Vargas is a businessman and a former disc jockey with GMA network. He owns the car the suspects used when they were entrapped. Considering the quantity of illegal drugs recovered from the suspects, they will not be able to post bail for their provisional liberty, the source said.