ZAMBOANGA CITY – Police Regional Office 9 (PRO 9) scored a major victory in its intensified anti-drug campaign with the arrest of a High-Value Individual (HVI) and the confiscation of nearly ₱9 million worth of illegal drugs during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Putik on the evening of September 16, 2025.
Authorities identified the suspect as a 32-year-old male resident of Barangay Baliwasan, who had a previous arrest for a drug-related case in 2016. He was collared at around 6:40 p.m. inside a motel in Putik by combined forces of the Zamboanga City Police Office’s (ZCPO) City Drug Enforcement Unit, City Intelligence Unit, Regional Intelligence Unit 9, Regional Mobile Force Battalion 9, PNP Intelligence Group’s Counter-Terrorism Division, Marine Battalion Landing Team-1, Air Force’s Command Intelligence Air Combat Command, Zamboanga City Police Station 5, and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Zamboanga City Office.
Confiscated from the suspect were about 150 grams of suspected shabu valued at ₱1,020,000 and approximately 1.5 kilograms of suspected cocaine worth ₱7,950,000, bringing the total to ₱8,970,000.
The suspect is now under police custody at Zamboanga City Police Station 5, where charges are being prepared. The seized drugs will undergo laboratory examination.
Police Brigadier General Eleazar P. Matta, Regional Director of PRO 9, commended the seamless coordination of the different law enforcement units and stressed the crucial role of citizens in sustaining the campaign.
“This successful operation shows our strong resolve to combat illegal drugs and crime. The dedication and teamwork along with the PDEA prove that working together gets results. But this is a shared responsibility. We call on our communities to be our eyes and ears on the ground. When we unite, we create a stronger defense for our neighborhoods and a safer future for everyone in the Zamboanga Peninsula,” PBGen Matta said.
PRO 9 reaffirmed its commitment to dismantle drug syndicates operating in the region and maintain relentless pressure on criminal networks threatening public safety.