Authorities arrested an agency driver and seized around P3.4 million worth of suspected shabu during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue City on Monday evening, May 11, 2026.
The suspect, identified only as alias “Midal,” 48, married, and a resident of Barangay Tejero, Cebu City, was tagged as a High-Value Individual (HVI) in the regional level.
Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) Director Police Colonel Cirilo Acosta said the suspect had long been under monitoring for alleged drug involvement.
“Dugay na si Midal na involved sa drugs,” Acosta said.
He added that the operation took nearly three weeks due to the suspect’s mobility and difficulty in tracking.
“Maong naabot og tulo ka semana ang operations kay medyo madulas siya and dali magbalhin-balhin,” he said.
Police said the suspect was allegedly involved in drug distribution in Mandaue City and other parts of Cebu.
Authorities are still verifying what agency the suspect was connected to, whether private or government.
The buy-bust operation was conducted around 6:18 p.m. along Mantawe Drive Extension by operatives of the City Intelligence Unit (CIU) and City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU) of MCPO, led by PCPT Noel Lungcob, under the supervision of PLTCOL Mark Gifter T. Sucalit and MCPO Director PCOL Cirilo B. Acosta Jr., in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
Seized from the suspect were seven packs of suspected shabu weighing about 500 grams, with an estimated Standard Drug Price (SDP) of P3.4 million.
Authorities said the suspect was properly informed of the nature and cause of his arrest and his constitutional rights in a dialect he understood.
Based on intelligence reports, “Midal” allegedly served as a “bodegero” and “kabayo” for a drug network operating in Cebu City and Mandaue City since January 2026.
Police said he allegedly sourced illegal drugs from a certain “Jomel,” reportedly an inmate at the Cebu City Jail.
Investigators said drug transactions were allegedly arranged through mobile phones and Messenger, with payments coursed through GCash and GoTyme before deliveries were made.
Monitoring showed the suspect was allegedly capable of distributing up to one kilogram of shabu per week, depending on demand.
Authorities said the arrest disrupted a portion of the illegal drug supply chain operating in Cebu and Mandaue cities.
Follow-up operations are ongoing to identify and arrest other individuals linked to the network. (VCL)
Photo courtesy of Benjie Banguis Talisic, XFM News
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