Police seized approximately 1,150 grams of suspected shabu valued at ₱7.82 million and arrested a man classified as a high-value individual in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Balugo, Dumaguete City, on Friday, October 2, 2026.
The operation was carried out at around 11:19 a.m. in Purok Santol by the City Drug Enforcement Unit of the Dumaguete City Police Station, under the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office, in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), according to the Police Regional Office Negros Island Region (PRO NIR).
Suspect Identified Only as ‘John’ from Batinguel
Police identified the suspect by his alias “John,” 35 years old, single, and a resident of Purok 7, Barangay Batinguel, Dumaguete City. No other personal details were released as of filing.
The suspect was informed of the cause of his arrest and his constitutional rights in a dialect he understands, police said. Seized items were inventoried in the presence of the suspect and the required witnesses, in compliance with chain-of-custody requirements under the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.
Confidential Tip Led to Surveillance, Then Arrest
PRO NIR said the operation followed a tip from a confidential informant that the suspect was actively distributing illegal drugs across several barangays in Dumaguete City. Casing, surveillance, and validation operations preceded the actual buy-bust.
Intelligence gathered during the surveillance phase allegedly established that the suspect had been sourcing his supply from Cebu. With the informant’s assistance, police arranged a transaction with the suspect and moved in to arrest him once the sale was completed.
Operatives recovered the suspected shabu, the buy-bust money, and other non-drug evidence at the scene. A body search conducted following the arrest allegedly yielded additional sachets and a pack of suspected shabu, along with personal items belonging to the suspect.
Suspect Brought to Station; Charges Being Prepared
The suspect was brought to the Dumaguete City Police Station for booking. Police said they were completing the necessary documentation for the filing of charges in court.
The standard drug price of the seized shabu was placed at ₱7,820,000, according to PRO NIR.
Regional Director Cites Lawful Operations, Rights-Based Policing
PRO NIR Regional Director Police Brigadier General Rudecindo Reales said the arrest demonstrated the command’s resolve to act swiftly on validated intelligence and disrupt drug distribution networks before they cause greater harm to communities.
“Our direction is clear: strengthen crime prevention, pursue crime solution, and ensure that every police operation is lawful, properly documented, and respectful of constitutional rights,” Reales said.
PRO NIR described the seizure as a direct disruption of the illegal drug supply chain in the province of Negros Oriental.
Second Major Drug Haul Near Dumaguete in 2026
The October 2 seizure is among the larger drug hauls recorded in the Dumaguete area this year. In July 2026, PDEA operatives and police seized suspected shabu with an estimated street value of ₱7.14 million in a separate buy-bust in Barangay Magatas, Sibulan, Negros Oriental.
That earlier operation resulted in the arrest of a jobless man from Lanao del Sur, indicating that the drug supply chain flowing into the province involves individuals from outside Negros Oriental.
By the Numbers
- 1,150 grams — weight of suspected shabu seized
- ₱7,820,000 — standard drug price of the seized shabu
- 35 — age of the arrested suspect
- 11:19 a.m., October 2, 2026 — time and date of the buy-bust operation
- ₱7.14 million — value of shabu seized in the July 2026 Sibulan buy-bust, the previous comparable haul in the area
Why This Matters
The arrest of a classified high-value individual and the removal of over a kilogram of shabu from circulation represent a significant interdiction of the illegal drug supply reportedly being funneled into Dumaguete City from Cebu. PRO NIR’s identification of a Cebu-based supply chain points to an organized distribution network extending beyond the province. The back-to-back multimillion-peso seizures in the Dumaguete area — in July and October of 2026 — signal sustained law enforcement pressure on drug networks operating in Negros Oriental.
Photo credit: Photo courtesy of PRO Negros Island Region
