By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Seventeen people were arrested while two others managed to escape after the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Kabankalan City Police Station raided a suspected drug den at Purok 1 in the city’s Barangay 6 Saturday morning, May 8.

Police identified the arrested as Ricardo Garcia; Ramil Dela Cruz; Roger Abordo; Richard Garcia; Joebel Barientos; Jan Michael Sambrano; Marlon Villaflor; Ramil Martinez; Bobby Infante; Gilbert Magaso; Jonah Lirazan; Adrian Tingson; Reynaldo Atillaga; Romer Buscado; Jeoford Juguan; Roland Jestupa; and Johnny Suico.

The drug suspects who escaped, meanwhile, were identified as Reggie Matos and George Ordonia.

According to the Kabankalan City police, the raid was led by the anti-drug operatives from PDEA Negros Occidental and PDEA Guimaras after they received information that Ricardo Garcia, Reggie Matos and George Ordonia were maintaining drug dens in the area.

PDEA operatives and Kabankalan City police confiscated 25 sachets of suspected shabu weighing 15 grams and valued at around P102,000.

Also seized were several drug paraphernalia, P500 in buy-bust money and suspected drug proceeds amounting to P500.

Police are now preparing drug-related charges against the suspects. The arrested drug suspects are currently detained at the Kabankalan City Police Station, while cops continue their manhunt operation against Matos and Ordonia./DGB, WDJ