NPD drugbusters focus on 15 Camanava hot spots

Northern Police District (NPD) director Chief Superintendent Leopoldo Bataoil ordered his anti-illegal drugs operatives yesterday to intensify operations on at least 15 identified drug affected areas in Camanava (Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela).

Bataoil’s directive came after Chief Inspector Bartolome "Bong" Tarnate, NPD-District Anti-Illegal Drugs-Special Operations Task Group (DAID-SOTG) chief, named 15 "areas of concern" in the northern metropolis.

In Caloocan City, listed are Bagong Silang and Bagong Barrio, composed of several barangays with a population of more than 260,000, as the focus of concern due to the reported proliferation of illegal drugs, pushers and users in the said areas.

Bukid Area in Caloocan, particularly Phase 12 in Bagong Silang and Camarin, is considered as a haven of criminal elements for they can have easy access to neighboring Valenzuela, Quezon City and Bulacan.

In Malabon City, at least four of its 21 barangays, Baritan, Tugatog, Tañong and Ibaba, are being closely watched by the anti-narcotics agents.

Senior Superintendent Moises Guevarra, however, said that the scarcity of shabu supply in Malabon and due to its very high value forced pushers and users to shift to marijuana.

He, however, said that marijuana suppliers in Malabon City had been neutralized with the arrest of three big-time drug traffickers identified as Ronaldo Royo, Dexter Flores and Ricofael Sarmiento.

The three alleged marijuana suppliers, Guevarra said, belonged to the same group.

In Navotas, at least three of its 14 barangays, remained at the NPD-DAID watchlist. These are Barangays Sipac Almacen, Tangos and North Bay Boulevard South.

The figure represents a 50 percent reduction of Navotas’ drug affected barangays, which were six last year.

In Valenzuela, six of its 32 barangays remained the focus of concern by the NPD anti-narcotics operatives.

These are Barangays Mapulang Lupa, Marulas, Malinta, Arkong Bato, Maysan and Karuhatan.

Bataoil urged anti-narcotics agents in Camanava to continue the relentless campaign as he also commended them and the local officials for their full support.