By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The high-value target (HVT) alleged drug suspect recently arrested in Negros Occidental’s Silay City was listed on a piece of paper with the two severed human hands recovered last week.

Silay City police conducted a buy-bust operation at Sitio Pulo in the city’s Barangay Mambulac early Wednesday morning, February 1, which resulted in the arrest of 27-year-old Ma. Chin-chin Grace Cuadra and 24-year-old Jeffrey Fuentes, both residents of the said place.

Police recovered 14 sachets of suspected shabu with a market value of P353,600 and a .45 caliber pistol.

Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) Station 2 commander, Captain Jonito Pastrana said Cuadra is the sister of the notorious crime and drug group leader Arnold “Aki” Cuadra.

Aki was abducted and killed in January of last year, along with three other members of his group.

Pastrana said Cuadra had been placed on surveillance for several months, but they were unable to organize an operation against her as she was only staying in Bacolod’s Barangay 2 for short periods.

Unlike other drug suspects listed who surfaced and were seeking help from the authorities, Cuadra was the only one on the list who failed to approach the police.

Last week, two severed human hands were recovered at Barangay 2’s Purok Kagaykay.

The severed hands were found in a container with several ingredients for a stew or linâgâ.

The container also contained a list of 22 individuals who were allegedly involved in illegal drug activities.

Bacolod City Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran said the incident, along with the murder of 22-year-old fish vendor Henry Paul Bombate on January 27, were committed by vigilantes.

Familiaran said the recent crimes were not ordinary and a big challenge to BCPO director, Police Colonel Thomas Joseph Martir./DGB, WDJ