Friday, August 01, 2008 PRO 6 anti-illegal drug operations net 197 suspects
AS RESULT of its anti-illegal drug operations from January to June this year, the Police Regional Office 6 arrested 197 persons and filed 141 cases compared to 149 arrested persons and 103 filed cases of the same period last year.
Of the 197 arrested persons, 113 of whom were netted in buy bust operations. Other through the implementation of search warrants.
Iloilo City Police Office delivered most of the arrests with 58 persons, Bacolod City Police Office with 50 arrested persons, Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (PPO) with 33, Iloilo PPO with 13, Capiz PPO with 12, Antique PPO with four, Aklan PPO with two, the Regional Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Group (Raidsog) with nine, and Philippine Drugs Enforcement Agency 6 (PDEA) also with nine.
The amount of drugs confiscated from the suspects and those recovered during raids reached 101.710 grams for "shabu" and 671.026 for marijuana, all with estimated Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) value of P534,775.65.
Along with these confiscations and recoveries were P135,159 cash money, 30 units of cellular phones, four low-powered firearms, one high-powered firearms, five units motorcycles, among others.
PRO 6 Director Chief Superintendent Isagani R Cuevas said with regards to the amount of illegal substance confiscated/recovered, there is a little difference. He said in the same period last year, confiscated/recovered marijuana totaled 2,301.178 grams while "shabu" was only 78.59 grams.
"The figures tell us that traders of these illegal substances are experiencing difficulty in sneaking their products here," Cuevas said adding that intensified police operations in terminals, seaports, airports and drug-affected barangays caused the dramatic decrease of supply of illegal drugs.
Meanwhile, during the consultative meeting of Commissioner Dante Jimenez of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission, Cuevas recommended for the review of Republic Act 9344 otherwise known as Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006 on the ground that illegal drug traders used this law to perpetrate their nefarious activities by employing the services of minors.
"Since minors cannot be charged for the offense, illegal drug traders are now using them as 'runners'," the Top Cop lamented as it becomes common predicament facing all police units.
Jimenez assured Cuevas that his concern would be considered in his report to the chairman of PAOCC. (F. Lindero)
