A 35-year-old man identified by police as a High-Value Individual (HVI) in the illegal drug trade was arrested after authorities seized approximately 100 grams of suspected shabu worth ₱680,000 in a buy-bust operation in Cagayan de Oro City on August 28, 2026.
The operation was carried out at about 5:10 p.m. at Rals Lodging House in Lapaz Uno, Lapasan, following sustained intelligence gathering and coordination among multiple police and law enforcement units.
Arrested was alias “Ken-Ken,” 35, single, a trisikad driver and resident of Cagayan de Oro City. Police classified him as an HVI, indicating that authorities considered him a significant target in their ongoing campaign against illegal drugs.
The operation was led by personnel of the Regional Police Drug Enforcement Unit (RPDEU) Team 1, in coordination with the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (COCPO) Regional Anti-Illegal Drug (RAID) 10, COCPO City Mobile Force Company (CMFC), Philippine Drug Enforcement Group Special Operations Unit 10 (PDEG SOU 10), COCPO Police Station 3-Agora, and Regional Intelligence Unit 10 (RIU 10).
Nine sachets recovered
Police said operatives recovered nine heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets containing a white crystalline substance believed to be shabu.
The suspected drugs had an aggregate weight of approximately 100 grams and an estimated Standard Drug Price (SDP) of ₱680,000.
Also confiscated during the operation were one cellphone and the ₱1,000 bill used as buy-bust money.
Authorities said the operation was the result of intelligence efforts that included information gathering, validation and coordination among the participating units. These efforts reportedly enabled law enforcement personnel to identify and eventually apprehend the suspect.
The seizure removes a substantial quantity of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride, commonly known as shabu, from circulation if the substance is confirmed to be an illegal drug through laboratory examination.
Investigation continues
Following his arrest, “Ken-Ken” was placed under the custody of the Maharlika Custodial Facility of COCPO for proper disposition.
Police said they are continuing their investigation to determine the full extent of the suspect’s alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade, including whether he has associates or links to a broader drug distribution network operating in or around Cagayan de Oro.
The confiscated suspected shabu will be submitted to the Regional Forensic Unit 10 (RFU-10) for qualitative and quantitative examination. The laboratory examination will determine whether the seized substance is indeed shabu and establish its exact composition and weight.
Authorities are preparing charges for alleged violations of Sections 5 and 11 of Republic Act No. 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. Section 5 covers the illegal sale, trading and distribution of dangerous drugs, while Section 11 penalizes the illegal possession of dangerous drugs.
The filing of charges remains subject to the appropriate legal proceedings, and the suspect is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
PRO10 vows no let-up in anti-drug campaign
The arrest comes as the Police Regional Office 10 (PRO10) continues to intensify its campaign against illegal drugs in Northern Mindanao.
PRO10 Regional Director PBGEN Nestor C. Babagay Jr. said the operation should serve as a warning to individuals who continue to engage in the illegal drug trade.
“As the new Regional Director of PRO10, I assure the public that our campaign against illegal drugs will remain relentless. We will further intensify our operations, strengthen our partnerships, and go after those who continue to threaten our communities. There will be no let-up in this fight,” Babagay said.
Babagay also vowed to align PRO10’s anti-drug operations with the focused agenda of the Chief of the Philippine National Police, emphasizing sustained enforcement, stronger inter-agency cooperation and the pursuit of individuals involved in the illegal drug trade.
The regional police office said it will continue strengthening coordination with other law enforcement agencies and stakeholders while pursuing intelligence-driven operations against suspected drug personalities.
The latest seizure underscores the continuing police effort to target not only street-level drug activity but also individuals identified through intelligence operations as potentially playing larger roles in the illegal drug supply chain.