PDEA files 119 cases in two months

CEBU, Philippines - At least 92 anti-illegal drugs operations in Central Visayas had been conducted for the first two-months of this year by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 7.

Lawyer Mauro Licen, legal officer of PDEA 7, said the operation has resulted in the arrest of 116 drug personalities. He pegged at P280,180 the value of illegal drugs confiscated from January to February 29.

“We have already filed 119 cases against the concerned individuals,” Licen said, adding that PDEA is trying hard to solve the illegal drugs problem in the region especially here in Cebu, which he admitted is second to Manila in terms of market demand.

Licen said that illegal drugs thrive in “highly-urbanized areas” because the economy is always an indicator for market demand.

Licen however, said the problem of illegal drugs in the region is not that alarming.

“It is manageable and under control,” he added.

 In Cebu Province, 104 persons were arrested for the first two months this year due to illegal drugs.

 P/Supt. Rodolfo Albotra Jr., chief of the Cebu Provincial Police Office-Provincial Intelligence Branch (CPPO-PIB) said they have elevated 75 cases in the proper courts.

 “From January to February, this year, we have seized illegal drugs with a dangerous drugs value of P1,165, 456.00,” Albotra said.

 Albotra said the latest raid they conducted was in the municipality of Badian, 97.6 kms. southwest of Cebu where they uprooted fully-grown marijuana plants.

 The police official however, did not give the estimated value of the marijuana plants they uprooted.

 “The Badian operation was based on a tip from a concerned citizen,” Albotra said as he urged the public to be more responsive and help the police fight the illegal drugs problem.

 Albotra said the CPPO is continuing their education drive against illegal drugs and other anti-crime programs by attending Parent-Teacher-Community Association (PTCA) meetings.

 “All section chiefs are ordered to attend PTCA meetings to reiterate support on the battle against criminality including illegal drugs which the youths are main recipients of the education campaign,” Albotra said. 

Meanwhile, S/Supt. Mariano Natuel Jr., chief of the Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division (RIDMD) of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 said that most police offices in Central Visayas exceeded its monthly target in January this year in the number of arrest warrants served to wanted persons in the region.

Except for Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) and Siquijor Provincial Police Office (SPPO), the rest of the city and provincial police offices in Central Visayas accomplished more than its monthly quota in the service of warrants to wanted criminals.

 “Each police office has a monthly target of five percent out of the total number of arrest warrants that must be served so that these cases filed in courts could prosper,” Natuel said.

Natuel cited the case of the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) which received 329 arrest warrants for December 2011 and 163 for January 2012 for a total of 492 arrest warrants.

 “The CPPO needs to serve at least 25 service warrants to achieve its five percent monthly target. But it was able to serve 70 service warrants or an accomplishment of 284 percent,” Natuel said.

 For Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), they have registered 185.8 percent accomplishment in the number of arrest warrants served.

Natuel said that CCPO need to serve 23 service warrants out of the total 452 but the CCPO was able to give out 42 arrest warrants.

Likewise, the Bohol Provincial Police Office and the Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office accomplished more than 100 percent of its target in serving arrest warrants to wanted persons.

 But the SPPO only had an accomplishment of 26.32 percent where out of the 76 arrest warrants, only four were served, Natuel said.  (FREEMAN)