MORE than P500 million worth of illegal drugs were seized by the anti-narcotics operatives under the watch of Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 Director Albert Ignatius Ferro in the first six months of 2020.

According to Ferro, the PRO 7 operatives seized more than 56 kilos of shabu worth P380.8 million and over a ton of marijuana worth P128 million.

The PRO 7 and its lower units launched a total of 2,642 anti-illegal drug operations and they arrested 3,978 drug personalities. A total of 14 pushers were killed during legitimate operations.

Challenging

As the chief of the police in Central Visayas, Ferro said his job is never easy, especially now that the region is affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) epidemic. The PRO 7 personnel led by Ferro are frontliners in the fight against Covid-19—the police officers make sure that community quarantine rules such as wearing of masks in public and observing social distancing are observed to slow down the spread of the viral disease.

Despite the Covid-19 crisis affecting the police’s regular law enforcement duties, the general said he is still proud of his accomplishments.

The PRO 7, he said, brought down some notorious drug groups in Central Visayas who are based in Talisay City, Cebu, namely the Luage, Obrero Managna and Vinculado drug groups that all have links to slain drug lord Franz Sabalones.

The PRO 7 also seized more than 400 loose firearms from residents in the mountainous areas in Cebu in 347 operations.

Ferro said they also arrested 1,556 wanted persons in Central Visayas. A total of 15 members of community terrorist groups and their supporters were arrested in Negros Oriental. (AYB / MMC)