THE deaths of suspected drug personalities in police-initiated drug busts in Central Visayas dropped in 2017, with at least 87 fewer deaths.

The suspects killed in police operations (KIPOs) fell to 60 last year from 147 in 2016, based on the statistics prepared by Police Regional Office (PRO) 7.

PRO 7 Director Robert Quenery attributed the decrease to the suspensions of police-led anti-narcotics operations in 2017.

“Hindi natin masasabi na maliit na lang ang pushers o takot ng manlaban. (I cannot say there are fewer drug pushers or they are afraid to fight back),” he said.

In January 2017, Police Director General Ronald dela Rosa suspended Oplan Tokhang and Oplan Double Barrel, the anti-illegal drugs programs of the Philippine National Police, following the death of a Korean businessman.

A month later, the police’s anti-illegal drugs operations resumed, only to be halted again in October 2017 after President Rodrigo Duterte signed a memorandum giving the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency the lead in all anti-illegal drug operations.

Last January, the police assumed the lead role again in the war on illegal drugs.

In 2017, Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) recorded 29 KIPOs; Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO), 12; Bohol Provincial Police Office (BPPO), six; Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office (NOPPO), 5; Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LCPO), four; Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), two; and other units, two.

CPPO registered the highest KIPOs in 2016 with 66; BPPO, 28; MCPO, 16; CCPO, 16; NOPPO, eight; other units, seven; and LCPO, six.

Quenery said the operations against the killed drug personalities were legitimate, adding that some drug personalities engaged operatives because they did not want to be caught.

The police official said he wants to see his police officers alive rather than dead.

Quenery urged drug personalities to surrender and not fight back.