PDEA steps up drive in South

KORONADAL CITY — The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) offices in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and Central and Southern Mindanao have forged a coordinated offensive against suspected drug factories and traffickers in the three regions.

Chief Inspector Jessie Estrada and Superintendent Wilkins Villanueva, PDEA directors for Central Mindanao and Southern Mindanao, respectively, said the regionally coordinated drive against drug traffickers is in line with a recent directive of Secretary Anselmo Avenido, PDEA director-general.

Estrada said Avenido wanted them to "maximize" their efforts against illegal drugs and chemicals used in making shabu in the three regions.

To make it effective, Villanueva said they have tapped the support of the PNP Traffic Management Group to conduct random inspection of vehicles suspected of transporting shabu precursors or chemicals used in making the illegal drug. — Ramil Bajo