ILIGAN CITY, Philippines — Authorities arrested two men and seized approximately 540.8 grams of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride, locally known as shabu, with an estimated standard drug price of ₱3,677,440 during a joint anti-illegal drug operation in Barangay Tomas Cabili, Iligan City, on Tuesday afternoon, October 13, 2026.
The buy-bust operation was conducted at around 2 p.m. in Purok 6, Palm Court Subdivision, through a coordinated effort involving personnel of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Lanao del Norte Provincial Office, PDEA Misamis Occidental Provincial Office, and the Regional Special Enforcement Team (RSET), with personnel of the Iligan City Police Station (ICPS) under the direct supervision of PCPT Vladimir C. Tenorio, officer-in-charge of ICPS-2.
The operation was witnessed by members of the media, a barangay official, and representatives of the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Suspect shot in the leg during operation
One of the arrested suspects, identified only by the alias “Beltran,” 34, a resident of Barangay San Miguel, Iligan City, sustained a gunshot wound to his right thigh during the operation and was taken to a hospital for medical treatment.
According to the operational report, Beltran allegedly threw away a .38-caliber revolver he was carrying and attempted to flee after realizing that the person he was transacting with was a PDEA agent. A bullet struck his right thigh during the incident.
The available report did not provide further details on the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
The second suspect, identified by the alias “Jevin,” 33, a resident of Purok 7, Barangay Tomas Cabili, was also arrested. He was reportedly driving the motorcycle used during the incident.
Jevin allegedly denied involvement in the drug transaction, claiming that he had merely picked up a passenger from Barangay San Miguel. His account and the extent of his alleged participation in the transaction were not independently established in the information provided.
Suspected shabu, revolver, ammunition recovered
Authorities reported seizing approximately 540.8 grams of suspected shabu, with an estimated standard drug price of ₱3,677,440.
Other items recovered during the operation included a black sling bag, a .38-caliber revolver loaded with three live rounds of ammunition, two mobile phones, a motorcycle key, and a ₱1,000 bill used as buy-bust money.
The seizure represents a substantial quantity of suspected illegal drugs, although the final identification and evidentiary findings would depend on the appropriate examination and documentation of the seized substances.
Following the operation, the two suspects, together with the suspected drugs and other pieces of evidence, were brought to the PDEA Region 10 Lanao del Norte Provincial Office for proper disposition and further investigation.
Possible charges under drug and firearms laws
The suspects are expected to face charges under Republic Act No. 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, and Republic Act No. 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act, subject to the findings of investigators and prosecutors.
Authorities have not provided further details in the available report regarding the specific charges to be filed against each suspect.
The arrests form part of the authorities’ continuing efforts to suppress illegal drug activities in Iligan City and surrounding areas. However, the allegations against the suspects remain subject to the legal process, and both are presumed innocent unless proven guilty by a court of law.