BUKIDNON, Philippines — A joint law enforcement operation in Bukidnon led to the arrest of a High-Value Individual (HVI) listed as the No. 4 Provincial Target under the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) target list, following the implementation of a court-issued search warrant that also resulted in the seizure of an unlicensed firearm, ammunition, and suspected illegal drugs.
The operation was carried out at approximately 6:35 p.m. on August 2, 2026, in Purok 2, Barangay Lumintao, Quezon, Bukidnon, by personnel of the Quezon Municipal Police Station (MPS) implementing Search Warrant No. RTC-OCC 42-26.
The operation was conducted with the assistance of the 2nd Bukidnon Provincial Mobile Force Company (PMFC) and in coordination with the Bukidnon Provincial Intelligence Unit (PIU).
Arrested during the operation was alias “Lon,” 42, a farmer and resident of Barangay Lumintao, who has been identified by authorities as the No. 4 High-Value Individual in the PNP/PDEA Provincial Target List.
Firearm, ammunition, and suspected shabu recovered
During the implementation of the search warrant, police recovered several pieces of evidence, including:
- One caliber .38 revolver;
- One caliber .45 steel magazine;
- One black firearm holster;
- One steel ammunition box;
- One caliber .30 ammunition;
- Twenty-eight live rounds of caliber .45 ammunition;
- Nineteen live rounds of caliber .38 ammunition;
- Two heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets containing approximately 1.5 grams of suspected shabu;
- Five foil strips commonly used as drug paraphernalia; and
- Three blue-colored lighters.
All recovered items were properly inventoried in accordance with standard operating procedures and are now in police custody for forensic examination and evidentiary purposes.
First arrest despite repeated attempts to evade law enforcement
According to police investigators, this marked the first time the suspect had been arrested, despite having been under law enforcement surveillance for an extended period.
Authorities disclosed that alias “Lon” had allegedly managed to evade several planned anti-drug operations, including multiple buy-bust attempts, prompting investigators to pursue a search warrant based on intelligence reports and evidence gathered during their monitoring.
Police further revealed that the suspect was allegedly sourcing illegal drugs from suppliers operating in Valencia City and Quezon, Bukidnon, indicating possible links to a broader local drug distribution network that remains under investigation.
During questioning, the suspect reportedly claimed that the recovered firearm had merely been entrusted to him and was not owned by him. Authorities, however, said the claim would be subject to further investigation as part of the criminal proceedings.
Multiple criminal charges to be filed
The search warrant was implemented in connection with alleged violations of several national laws, including:
- Republic Act No. 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act;
- Republic Act No. 9516, which strengthens the law against the illegal possession and manufacture of explosives; and
- Republic Act No. 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Police said the arrested suspect and all confiscated evidence have been placed under the custody of the Quezon Municipal Police Station for documentation, laboratory examination, and the filing of appropriate criminal charges before the proper court.
Authorities emphasized that the successful operation forms part of the continuing intensified campaign of the PNP against illegal drugs, loose firearms, and other criminal activities in Bukidnon, particularly targeting individuals identified as major players in the province’s illegal drug trade. Investigators are also pursuing follow-up operations to identify and apprehend the suspect’s alleged drug suppliers and possible associates.