A 44-year-old jeepney driver who reportedly moonlights as a drug courier was arrested during a buy-bust operation in Bingawan, Iloilo on Sunday afternoon, Nov. 19.
Menandro Jelilang, a resident of Barangay San Miguel Ilaya, Tapaz, Capiz, yielded 14 sachets of suspected shabu amounting to P2.414 million, said P/Lt. Ryan Christ C. Inot, officer-in-charge of the Bingawan Municipal Police Station.
Inot said Jelilang had been a runner for a year and got hooked on it because of the big income every delivery, ranging from P3,000 to P6,000 compared with what he is earning as a jeepney driver.
His area of operation includes the towns of Lambunao, Calinog, Janiauy, Pototan, Passi City, and other adjacent municipalities.
Jelilang was arrested at 2 p.m. while he was about to drop the supply at Brgy. Poblacion, Bingawan.
The Bingawan top cop said there is a big possibility he was working as a courier for drug personality Crismark Blancaflor caught with P13 million worth of shabu in San Carlos City in Negros Occidental in August this year.
He also has a connection with a certain alias Eman, from Brgy. Lanit, Jaro in Iloilo, and currently out of prison after availing of plea bargaining.
“He is now in our custody, and the case is for filing tomorrow at the Iloilo Hall of Justice for violation of Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002),” Inot said. Perla Lena/PNA
