Bacolod City, April 25 -- Operations led by the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) dismantled a massive illegal cigarette manufacturing and distribution network in Negros Occidental, netting almost PHP800 million in raw materials and other supplies across two cities earlier this week.

In a press briefing in Bago City Friday afternoon, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla said such illicit trade "deprives the government of billions in excise tax revenues that should otherwise fund public healthcare and essential social services."

"Sa Luzon naitigil na namin. The next is, sa Visayas na kami magco-concentrate (We were able to stop operations in Luzon....