Anti-drug drive nets 209 in Camanava

Northern Police District operatives rounded up more than two hundred individuals in simultaneous single-day anti-narcotics operations yesterday at a number of drug-affected barangays in the northern part of Metro Manila.

Chief Superintendent Marcelino Franco Jr., NPD director, said the anti-drug campaign conducted in Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela (Camanava) area is part of his continuous effort to cleanse more barangays in Northern Metro of illegal drugs.

The four police chiefs in Camanava, along with their operatives, started their synchronized operations as early as 1 a.m.

In Caloocan City, operatives, led by intelligence chief Superintendent Dionisio Borromeo and station anti-narcotics chief Inspector Cessar Cruz, nabbed a total of 39 individuals roaming aimlessly in Barangays 73 and 74.

Of the 39, four were found in possession of illegal drugs.

"This is a continuing effort to cleanse our area of prohibited drugs and at the same time the drive also served as crime deterrent by clearing our streets of suspected criminal elements," Borromeo said.

Malabon agents, led by the city police chief Senior Superintendent Freddie Panen, rounded up 25 vagrants in Barangay Tanong. Five of them were found to have standing warrants of arrests for drug-related offenses.

The Navotas police, headed by Superintendent Billy Beltran and Inspector Ferdinand Balgoa, were able to apprehend 21 drug offenders all with standing warrants of arrests in the town’s two barangays, Tangos and North Bay Boulevard North (NBBN).

One of the suspects, Romeo Laquimdanum, of Balanga Bataan, is wanted in his province for illegal drug case.

National Capital Region chief, Director Ricardo de Leon, who personally inspected those who were apprehended, commended Beltran for his effort.

In Valenzuela City, Superintendent Jose Marcelo led by his men in rounding up 100 individuals in Barangay Malinta with eight of them found to be drug pushers.

Of the 209 collared, 44 have standing warrants of arrest for drug pushing and other felonies.

Chief Inspector Rafael Santiago, NPD intelligence and anti-narcotics chief, who coordinated with the four police chief’s effort in the operations, said that of the 184 drug-affected barangays in Camanava, 84 have already been declared drug-free.

"This happened through the coordinated efforts of the police and the barangay officials," he said.

Santiago said that with good results of the police and barangay leaders coordinated efforts in the fight against illegal drugs, the 50 percent target in clearing drug-affected barangays in Camanava would be attained by the end of this month.