The number six most wanted drug personality in Western Visayas was arrested Saturday by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency operatives during a buy-bust operation in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental.

PDEA regional director Edwin Layese said the arrest of Noli Mercado, alias Noy Noy, yielded 12 sachets of suspected shabu, with a market value estimated at P180,000, a digital weighing scale, and attaché case. A Nissan Sentra vehicle with plate number FDB 962 was also seized.

Layese said Mercado had been under surveillance for one week and test buy operations were conducted three times, before he was arrested Saturday at Margarita Village, Brgy. 2 in San Carlos City. The arrest was made in close coordination with the local police force headed by Supt. Joseph Bayan.

Mercado is listed as number two of the drug personalities operating in San Carlos City, PDEA records show.

In his report to the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, Bayan, said Mercado, 40, is now in jail, pending the filing of charges against him today.

On the same day, the police also arrested a barangay tanod in Sitio Matagoy, Brgy. Rizal, Silay City, for having a homemade .38 caliber revolver.

Supt. Rosauro Francisco, Silay police chief, identified the tanod as Edgardo Lescano, 46, who is now being held at the police station headquarters, for further investigation.

Meanwhile, a 76-year-old man died on Friday, after he was bumped by a motorcycle, driven by a minor at the national highway of Brgy. Pilar in Hinigaran, police records show.

The fatality was identified by the police as Antonio Villaluna, 76, of Brgy. Nanunga, Hinigaran.

Investigations of the Hinigaran police show that Villaluna, who was crossing the national highway, was hit by the motorcycle driven by a 16-year-old, whose identity is being withheld.

Villaluna was declared dead on arrival at the Doctor’s Hospital in Bacolod City, after being given initial treatment at the Hinigaran Emergency Clinic, police said.*GPB

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