P6-M shabu seized from criminology student, mom in Iloilo

MANILA, Philippines – At least P6.3-million worth of shabu have been seized by authorities from a criminology student and his mother, both subject of a buy-bust operation in Pavia town of Iloilo.

The Police Regional Office VI (PRO-6) said that suspects Jennifer Nosotros, 42, and her son John Rey Nosotros, 20, were caught by elements of the Iloilo Police Provincial Office, Pavia Police Station, and Region VI’s Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency inside a mall in Barangay Ungka 2, Pavia last Sunday night.

According to initial reports, law enforcers were able to recover the marked money used, amounting to P75,100 used to purchase the shabu weighing 5 grams.  But aside from the subject substance, police also found alleged shabu in two big plastic bags, weighing around 500 grams, and 11 other sachets amounting to 30 grams.

A digital weighing scale, a cellphone, and a sling bag were also confiscated.

Information from PRO-6 said that John Rey — a criminology student — and Jennifer, whose middle names are Abantao, are related to Jovan Abantao who is included in the Philippine National Police’s high-value targets.

Abantao is currently detained at the New Bilibid Prison, PRO-6 said.

In another buy-bust operation, this time in Barangay Calaparan of Iloilo City, a certain Lalaine Ereño was caught with 15 sachets of shabu supposedly worth P1.125 million on early Monday morning

Police also managed to retrieve the P20,500 buy-bust money used, and two cellular phones allegedly used to make transactions.

Authorities said that the combined seizures, totaling to P7.4 million, is by far the biggest amount of shabu hauled in the Panay Island.

All arrested suspects will face charges for violating sections of Republic Act No. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.