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Friday, February 24, 2006
Illegal drugs scarce in W. Visayas: Pdea
By Ruby P. Silubrico
SUPERINTENDENT Rolen Balquin, chief of the Philippine Drugs Enforcement Agency (Pdea) 6 revealed Thursday that there's scarcity in the distribution of drugs in Western Visayas following the dismantling of drug dens in Metro Manila recently.
Balquin said the neutralization and series of drug operations in various drug dens in Metro Manila are the reasons why there's a decrease of illegal drugs consumption not only in Western Visayas but probably in other places.
Metro Manila and Mindanao are still the two main sources of illegal drugs.
Continous
However, Balquin admitted that the entry of drugs in Iloilo City remains continuous.
"Still there's a continuous entry of drugs here but we can't determine where they usually go. The volume is very minimal," Balquin said.
He added that there are drug dealers who are still operating in Iloilo City, whom they are closely monitoring.
He refused to give their names so as not to preempt their operations. Included in their operations are personalities who are remnants of the likes of Boy Cuadra in Bacolod.
Cuadra is detained but Balquin said that he received reports that the former's relatives and members are main suppliers of illegal drugs, although their operations are not to strong compared to that of Cuadra's before.
Arrests
Last month, Jonathan "Totot " Nava, suspected as one of the drug suppliers in Iloilo, was arrested somewhere in Metro Manila where he hid for one year after he escaped from the Iloilo Doctor's Hospital.
Balquin cites the arrest of Cuadra and Nava as another reason for the scarcity of illegal drugs here.
"Hopefully, we can arrest the other pushers," Balquin added.
The Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) through S/Supt. Norlito Bautista recently created two task groups in order to eradicate illegal drugs.
There are Task Group Bakhaw in Mandurriao and Task Group Angel in Tanza Esperanza, Iloilo City.
(February 24, 2006 issue)
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