Over P40 million worth of suspected shabu recovered in Manila; suspect arrested

Philippine National Police Chief Director General Oscar Albayalde presides over a press conference on Thursday, July 5. He is flanked by Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar, National Capital Region Police Office director./Mar Gabriel/Eagle News Service/

By Mar Gabriel
Eagle News Service

The police on Thursday, July 5, confiscated more than P40 million worth of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride in Manila.

Joint forces of the National Capital Region Police Office and the Manila Police District arrested Joshir Bernardo after confiscating the seven kilograms of suspected shabu from him in a buy-bust operation in San Andres Bukid.

“During the buy-bust, ang napag-usapan one kilo (ng droga worth) P900,000 (ang bibilhin ng poseur-buyer)..Upon inspection (of his) belongings nakuha pa 6 kilos,” Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar, National Capital Region Police Office director, said.

Also confiscated from Bernardo were the cellphone and car he used for the “transaction” with the police poseur-buyer.

According to Eleazar, based on their investigation, Bernardo was connected to Ernesto Hernandez, alias Loloy, who is currently detained in the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology District Jail in Taguig on drug charges.

Eleazar said Hernandez was arrested by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in 2016.

“He was directing the operation (from inside the jail),” Eleazar said.

PNP Chief director general Oscar Albayalde said Hernandez did this with the use of a cellphone.

He said authorities were looking into how the gadget made it inside the jail.

Charges are slated to be filed against Bernardo.