ZAMBOANGA CITY: Combined police and drug enforcement agents seized three kilos of shabu worth P15 million and arrested three suspects in a major buy-bust operation in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur here the other day.
Chief Superintendent Miguel Antonio Jr., chief of the Western Mindanao Police Office, identified the captured suspects during the ‘Lambat-Sibat’ operation as Geu Villarin Pongase, 34; Dionesio Dumanjog Saligan, 50, both of Tangub City; and Lyle Laurete Lacambra, 35, of Ozamis City.
Antonio said the combined units of Police Intelligence Branch of Zamboanga del Sur Provincial Police Office, Pagadian City Police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency 9 launched the joint operation after weeks of surveillance.
He said the operatives deployed sent a poseur-buyer to meet the suspects in Barangay Galas, Pagadian City. The three suspects arrived around noon on Tuesday with three kilos of shabu.
“However, upon seeing the arrival of the operating team, the suspects hurriedly fled to evade arrest,” Antonio said.
The suspects escaped but were cornered by the pursuing police and PDEA agents at Rizal Avenue in Barangay Santiago.
Aside from the suspected shabu, police also recovered the Kia Sorento that the suspects tried to flee in.
Antonio commended the police and the PDEA on their successful operation and directed police in the region to continue intensifying operations against illegal drugs.
