August ends with arrests, drugs, IED, deaths in CSur

By Jordan Domingo

AS August 2026 came to its final days, Camarines Sur police wrapped up the month with a series of cases that underscored the continuing challenges in peace and order and public safety in the province.

In separate incidents recorded on Aug. 29, authorities arrested a most wanted person and two suspected drug offenders, recovered an improvised explosive device in a mountainous area, retrieved a stolen government-issued firearm belonging to an Army personnel, and responded to a road crash that killed two passengers, including a British national. A stabbing incident in San Jose also left a 24-year-old laborer wounded.

The seven cases, reported as the month drew to a close, serve as a month-ender for August—a final roundup of arrests, seizures, accidents and other incidents recorded across Camarines Sur before the province entered September.

Most wanted

Police arrested the province’s No. 1 most wanted person in a manhunt operation here as August 2026 came to a close.

The 44-year-old suspect, identified only as alias “Ven,” a fisherman and resident of Garchitorena, was arrested at about 8:45 a.m. on Aug. 29 in Zone 7, Barangay Binagasbasan.

The Garchitorena Municipal Police Station tracker team, led by PMaj. Rodolfo V. Ramos Jr., conducted the operation based on a warrant of arrest issued in connection with two counts of qualified rape of a minor, for which no bail was recommended.

Police said Ven was informed of the reason for his arrest and his constitutional rights before he was brought to the Garchitorena Rural Health Unit for medical examination and subsequently to the municipal police station for proper disposition.

The arrest was recorded using an Alternative Recording Device.

Soldier’s gun stolen

A government-issued firearm and other personal belongings stolen from a Philippine Army personnel were recovered following a hot-pursuit operation here as August 2026 came to a close.

Police arrested a 23-year-old man identified as alias “Tope” at about 12:30 a.m. on Aug. 29 in Zone 1, Barangay San Juan, Baao. His alleged accomplice, identified as alias “Joseph,” 20, remains at large.

The victim, a 36-year-old Army member assigned to the 9th Infantry Division at Camp Elias Angeles in Pili, reported the theft of his sling bag containing a 9mm Glock 17 pistol with an inserted magazine and three loaded extra magazines.

The bag also contained his Philippine Army identification card, driver’s license, BDO ATM card, PAFCPIC passbook and P500 cash.

Police said the victim had placed the bag on a sofa near a window before going to his bedroom. At about 12:30 a.m., he discovered that the bag was missing and found that the window had been forcibly opened by shattering its glass panel.

The Baao police investigation and tracker teams immediately launched a follow-up and hot-pursuit operation, resulting in Tope’s arrest and recovery of the stolen items. Police continued their pursuit of Joseph, the arrested suspect’s brother.

P1.02-M shabu seized

In Bula town, police seized suspected shabu with an estimated street value of P1.02 million and arrested a 46-year-old driver in a buy-bust operation here as August 2026 came to a close.

The suspect, identified only as alias “Ragmac,” a resident of Misamis Oriental, was arrested at about 9:13 a.m. on Aug. 29 in Zone 4, Barangay Pawili, Bula.

Police said personnel of the Regional Police Drug Enforcement Unit 5, Provincial Intelligence Unit of the Camarines Sur Police Provincial Office, PDEG SOU5 and Bula MPS, in coordination with PDEA Region 5, conducted the operation.

Ragmac allegedly sold a knot-tied transparent plastic sachet containing crystalline substance suspected to be shabu to a police poseur-buyer in exchange for P50,000, consisting of one genuine P500 bill and boodle money.

A subsequent search allegedly yielded another plastic bag containing suspected shabu. Police said the total seized substance weighed about 150 grams and had a standard drug price of P1.02 million.

The seized items will undergo laboratory examination, while police prepare charges for alleged violations of Sections 5 and 11, Article II of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

IED recovered

An improvised explosive device (IED) was recovered in a mountainous portion of Barangay Pinamasagan here in an intelligence-driven operation as August 2026 came to a close.

Police said the IED was discovered at about 7:15 a.m. on Aug. 29 under a dense cluster of bamboo through information provided by a confidential informant.

Joint elements of the Camarines Sur 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company, Provincial Intelligence Unit, Provincial Explosives and Canine Unit, San Fernando police, 9th Special Action Battalion and 9th Infantry Battalion recovered a seven-inch-diameter, 10-inch-high IED, an 11-meter stranded No. 14 wire and a black bucket.

The San Fernando MPS cordoned off the area and coordinated with the Provincial Explosives and Canine Unit for documentation and proper disposition.

The recovered items were brought to the San Fernando police station and will be turned over to the explosives and canine unit.

Baao police nab drug suspect

Police arrested another suspected drug pusher and seized about P40,800 worth of suspected shabu in a buy-bust operation here as August 2026 came to a close.

The suspect, identified as alias “Glenn,” 37, unemployed and a resident of Baao, was arrested at about 5:50 p.m. on Aug. 29 in Zone 1, Barangay San Juan.

Police said the suspect sold a heat-sealed plastic sachet containing suspected shabu to a police officer acting as poseur-buyer in exchange for P500.

A search allegedly yielded a black pouch containing seven more sachets of suspected shabu and six unused plastic sachets. Police also recovered the P500 buy-bust money and a matchbox containing 19 pieces of aluminium foil strips and another sachet of suspected shabu.

Authorities estimated the total weight of the seized substance at six grams, contained in eight sachets, with a street value of P40,800.

The seized items will undergo laboratory examination, while police prepare charges for alleged violations of Sections 5 and 11, Article II of RA 9165.

Two killed

Two passengers, including a British national, were killed after the car they were riding in crashed into an acacia tree here as August 2026 came to a close.

The accident occurred at about 6 p.m. on Aug. 29 along the provincial road in Zone 6, Barangay San Juan-San Lorenzo.

Police identified the fatalities as alias “Ford,” 79, a British national and resident of Las Piñas City, and alias “Emy,” 71, a resident of Minalabac.

The 78-year-old driver, identified as alias “Chard,” also a Minalabac resident, sustained minor injuries and was brought to the Bicol Medical Center in Naga City.

Initial police investigation showed that the vehicle, a maroon Honda City sedan, was traveling from Naga City toward Minalabac proper when the driver allegedly fell asleep and lost control of the vehicle. It crossed into the opposite lane and hit an acacia tree beside the road.

All three occupants were brought to BMC by responding MDRRMO personnel, but the two passengers were later pronounced dead by the attending physician.

Police conducted a technical inspection of the vehicle and a follow-up investigation at BMC.

Laborer stabbed

A 24-year-old laborer was wounded in a stabbing incident in Barangay Telegrafo here as August 2026 came to a close.

Police said the incident occurred at about 8:35 p.m. on Aug. 29, with the victim identified as alias “Mark,” a resident of Sagñay.

Mark sustained a stab wound to the upper left abdomen and was brought to the Partido District Hospital for medical treatment.

Initial investigation showed that the victim and the suspect, identified as alias “John,” a legal-age laborer and resident of San Jose, were walking along the road and talking when the suspect allegedly stabbed the victim without provocation.

Police said both men were believed to be under the influence of liquor at the time of the incident.

John fled the scene in an unknown direction and remained at large. Police were conducting a hot-pursuit operation while investigators continued their follow-up investigation.