Drugs worth P36M seized from CV in massive hunt

CEBU, Philippines - Illegal drugs with an accumulated value of P36 million were seized during separate anti-narcotics operations in Central Visayas for the past two months.

This according to data released by the regional police office yesterday, which also rank Cebu City as the top performing police office. Operations here yielded illegal drugs with a total value of P11 million.

The Siquijor Provincial Police Office has the least amount with P14,000.   

Also yesterday, the Cebu Provincial Police Office disclosed that separate operations from August 18 to August 25 yielded illegal drugs with an accumulated total of 414.39 grams valued at P4,891,233. Twenty-four firearms of different caliber were also seized during these operations.

The P4,891,233 from the province is part of the P36 million recorded by the regional police office.

Supt. Rodulfo Albotra, chief of the Provincial Intelligence Branch, said the different units of CPPO launched a total of 49 operations within the two-week period - 37 were carried out by virtue of court-issued search warrants, eight were buy-bust operations, and four were "relevant operations" that included, among others, impromptu arrests and discovery of marijuana plantations.

Twenty-eight were arrested during these operations but nine subjects managed to escape.

Just the start

Supt. Noel Gillamac, director of CPPO, assured that the operations were just the start of an intensified campaign.

"Dili ta muhunong nganhi…there will be other operations," Gillamac said.

Joey Herrera, executive director of the Cebu Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Commission, assured support for the police. He also noted that operations carried out with a search warrant were smoother.

"Nakita nato nga mas nindot ang search warrant i-implement sa operation kay makita nato nga smooth ang operations," Herrera said.

As a follow-up, Sr. Supt. Rey Lyndon Lawas of the Regional Investigation and Detection Management Division-7, said his office continues to monitor the status of cases filed in court against those arrested in the operations.

He said cases that will be dismissed because of lapses committed by policemen will not be taken lightly and those who will be proven to have committed the infractions will be charged administratively.

He added that drug suspects who were granted bail are also being monitored. Of the 488 drug cases filed in court, 281 suspects were allowed bail.

At the Capitol, Board Member Carmen Remedios Durano-Meca, co-chairperson of CPADAC, said she will look into concerns of some police officers regarding the issuance of search warrants.

"I-check nato ang issuance sa search warrants kay dunay uban (police) naglisod nga makakuha," she said.

With recent incidents in Bohol that claimed the lives of police officers, including the death of Ubay Police Station chief Insp. George Caña who was ambushed by the group of Owen Rosales, Sr. Supt. Orlando Ualat, Deputy Regional Director for Administration, said some adjustments need to be put in place to avoid further loss of lives.

Supt. Rex Derilo, deputy chief of the Regional Intelligence Division  7, noted that the entry of Chief Supt. Prudencio "Tom" Bañas as PRO-7 chief provided the needed push for an intensified campaign against illegal drugs in the region.

Bañas assumed office last June 11, a month after Chief Supt. Danilo Constantino relinquished the post to assume directorship of the Police Community Relations in Camp Crame.

A total of 337 operations were carried out from July 1 to August 26.

In an earlier interview, however, Bañas said the campaign he launched is serious and that he is not interested in any recognition.— (FREEMAN)