KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato — Authorities arrested two alleged High-Value Individuals (HVIs) and confiscated more than ₱1 million worth of suspected shabu during a late-night anti-illegal drug operation in Barangay General Paulino Santos, Koronadal City on May 20, 2026.
Joint operatives from the Koronadal City Police Station, City Police Drug Enforcement Unit, South Cotabato Provincial Police Drug Enforcement Unit, intelligence units, and the 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company carried out the buy-bust operation at around 10:22 p.m.
Arrested were suspects identified only through their aliases “Ping,” 33, unemployed and a resident of Barangay Sta. Cruz, and “Pong,” 33, a beautician residing in Barangay Zone II, both in Koronadal City. Police identified the two as High-Value Individuals allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade in the area.
According to investigators, the suspects were apprehended after an undercover operative successfully purchased one sachet of suspected shabu worth ₱1,000 from them during the operation.
Following the arrest, authorities conducted a search and inventory that led to the recovery of the marked ₱1,000 buy-bust money and three additional heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets containing white crystalline substance believed to be shabu.
Police said the four confiscated sachets weighed approximately 150 grams with an estimated standard drug price of ₱1,020,000.
The inventory and documentation of seized evidence were conducted in the presence of mandatory witnesses, including a media representative and a barangay kagawad from Barangay General Paulino Santos, in compliance with operational procedures under the anti-drug campaign.
The arrested suspects were informed of their constitutional rights in accordance with Republic Act 7438, the Miranda Doctrine, and the Anti-Torture Law.
They are currently under police custody while authorities prepare criminal charges for violations of Sections 5 and 11, Article II of Republic Act No. 9165, also known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
In a statement, Arnold P. Ardiente commended the operating teams for the successful operation and reiterated the intensified anti-illegal drug campaign of Police Regional Office 12 against drug syndicates and street-level narcotics activities in the region.