ZAMBOANGA CITY – Anti-drug operatives confiscated approximately 1,000 grams of suspected shabu valued at around Php6,800,000 during a joint operation led by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Regional Office 9 (PDEA RO9) on March 6, 2025, in Barangay San Roque, Zamboanga City.
The successful buy-bust operation, conducted at about 12:40 p.m., also led to the arrest of four high-value targets (HVTs). The illegal drugs were found inside a vacuum-sealed plastic pack containing a white crystalline substance, which was concealed in a Chinese tea bag. Authorities also recovered non-drug evidence, including ten bundles of boodle money topped with a genuine PHP 1,000 bill, a white Tecno Spark cellphone, a Honda Wave 100 motorcycle, and a blue Rusi tricycle.
PDEA RO9 Director III Maharani R. Gadaoni-Tosoc identified the arrested suspects as Eldrian Alvarez, 20, a construction worker; Jason Orquijo, 39, a habal-habal driver; Alrakib H. Dasid, 36, also a habal-habal driver; and Ellan I. Testado, 42, a kuliglig driver. All four individuals are residents of Barangay San Roque and were taken into custody for violating Section 5 of Republic Act No. 9165, also known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
The operation was spearheaded by PDEA RO9’s Regional Special Enforcement Team, in collaboration with the Zamboanga City Office, the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU), and the PNP Criminal Investigation Unit (CIU).
PDEA RO9 remains steadfast in its intensified campaign against illegal drugs and continues to encourage the public to report any suspicious drug-related activities. The agency emphasized that community cooperation is crucial in combating the proliferation of dangerous substances in the region.
