New PDEA bldg to rise in Lahug

CEBU, Philippines - The new building of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-7 will soon rise at the adjacent lot of the Cebu Provincial Police Office in Sudlon, Lahug, Cebu City.

Construction of the P7.8 million building will be completed within 90 days or three months as ordered by Governor Gwendolyn Garcia to Provincial Engineer Eulogio Pelayre.

Garcia who led the ground breaking ceremony the other day said the building is but part of her promise to give full support to PDEA as the lead agency in the campaign against illegal drugs not only in Cebu Province but throughout Central Visayas.

“This is to give high morale in aggressive action in the campaign against illegal drugs,” Garcia said during her speech.

Board Members Shun Shimura and Carmen Remedios Durano-Meca also attended the groundbreaking ceremony.

PDEA Director General and Undersecretary Jose Gutierrez who was present at the groundbreaking thanked Garcia for providing the headquarters. With Gutierrez was retired police general Zoilo Lachica who served as director for Intelligence and Investigation Service of PDEA.

For his part, PDEA Regional Director Jigger Montallana assured to put into operation the full force of the law in responding to drug-related problems.

The PDEA building is the 3rd building constructed by provincial government for the police force starting with the building of the Cebu Provincial Police Office. Last November, construction began for a cyber crime laboratory for the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group within the vicinity of CPPO. - THE FREEMAN