Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Article (news)

Karen De Guzman

Dennis Datu

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1773203317107viber_image_2026-03-11_10-01-20.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Authorities on Tuesday seized sacks of suspected shabu estimated at P6.8 billion from a speedboat that ran aground along the shoreline of Barangay Harrison in Paluan, Occidental Mindoro. Courtesy of 76 IB, 203rd Brigade, Philippine Army via Dennis Datu, ABS-CBN News</div>MANILA (UPDATED; CORRECTED) — Authorities on Tuesday seized sacks of suspected shabu estimated at P6.8 billion from a speedboat that ran aground along the shoreline of Barangay Harrison in Paluan, Occidental Mindoro.According to Brigadier General Melencio Ragudo, commander of the 203rd Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army, the suspected illegal drugs were contained in 43 sacks with a total estimated weight of about 2.2 tons.Ragudo said the speedboat, with two foreign-looking nationals on board, ran aground at around 2 p.m. on Tuesday after its hull was punctured when it hit rocks.&quot;May sumadsad na speedboat, magandang klase. Kung titingnan mo nga siya parang maliit na yate. May tao dalawa. May tinamaan siyang medyo matigas-tigas, nabutas &#x27;yung speedboat niya. Tumabi siya doon banda sa Barangay Harrison,&quot; Ragudo said.Residents reportedly approached the two individuals to offer assistance, but the suspects refused help.&quot;Nung nilapitan sila ng mga tao, ayaw nilang tumanggap ng tulong. So &#x27;yung mga tao nagduda kasi hindi sila naiintindihan, hindi marunong mag-Tagalog,&quot; Ragudo said.The residents then contacted the nearby Army patrol base, but when soldiers arrived at the scene, the two individuals fled toward the forest area.&quot;Nung nakita nung dalawa na may papunta nang naka-uniporme, tumakbo na &#x27;yung dalawa. So siyempre &#x27;yung sundalo nagulat din kasi papunta pa lang sila sa boat, sinilip nila may mga sako-sako so nagpatulong sila na ibaba kasi tumataob na &#x27;yung speedboat,&quot; he said.The sacks were later found to contain a white crystalline substance believed to be methamphetamine hydrochloride, commonly known as shabu.Based on prevailing estimates from anti-drug operations, Ragudo said the suspected shabu could have a street value of about ₱6.8 million per kilogram, placing the estimated value of the recovered drugs at several billions of pesos.Authorities also found markings on some of the packaging but said they could not yet determine whether the drugs originated from Vietnam or China.&quot;Hindi natin masabi… &#x27;yung supot kasi parang ginamit lang to protect para hindi mabasa, so hindi alam kung ano talaga. Hindi natin alam kung Vietnamese or Chinese. Basta ang sigurado tayo, hindi Pilipino,&quot; Ragudo said.Residents were able to take photos of the two suspects while they were sitting on rocks along the shoreline before fleeing.Troops from the 76th Infantry Battalion have launched pursuit operations in the mountainous areas of Paluan to track down the suspects.&quot;Nag-launch kami ng manhunt. Even sa mga sibilyan, talagang nagpatulong na tayo kasi isolated niya yung lugar na &#x27;yan. Saka &#x27;yung means of communication nung dalawang subject na &#x27;yun is naiwan sa barko. So malamang nandito pa rin sila sa gubat ng Paluan,&quot; Ragudo said. Authorities continue to coordinate with other law enforcement agencies as the investigation and manhunt operations continue.

Authorities on Tuesday seized sacks of suspected shabu estimated at P6.8 billion from a speedboat that ran aground along the shoreline of Barangay Harrison in Paluan, Occidental Mindoro.

Authorities on Tuesday seized sacks of suspected shabu estimated at P6.8 billion from a speedboat that ran aground along the shoreline of Barangay Harrison in Paluan, Occidental Mindoro.

P6.8-B suspected shabu seized from speedboat in Mindoro; 2 foreign nationals escape

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P6.8-B suspected shabu seized from speedboat in Mindoro; 2 foreign nationals escape

Karen De Guzman,

Dennis Datu,

ABS-CBN News

Published Mar 11, 2026 12:31 PM PHT

|

Updated Mar 11, 2026 02:08 PM PHT

Read More:

shabu

illegal drugs

paluan

occidental mindoro

speed boat

chinese nationals

philippine amry

76 ib

203rd brigade

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