IF proven effective in diverting the communities from illegal drugs, the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 will replicate in other villages the sporting activity it launched yesterday in Barangay Tanke, Talisay City.
PRO 7 Director Debold Sinas himself led the launching of the basketball league, which has the theme, “Sa Liga ikaw ang bida! Pero sa droga, ikaw ay isang kontrabida! (In the league, you’re the hero! With drugs, you’re the culprit!)
Sinas said there are 11 teams and the games will culminate in December.
He said the league includes 12-year-olds and those in their 20’s who are out-of-school youth.
Two police officials are assigned to coach and manage each team. They are called “Pulis Big Brother.”
Tanke, known to be drug-infested for decades already, is the first barangay where the basketball league is being held by the PRO 7 in its fight against illegal drugs.
Weeks earlier, 10 drug suspects, including a minor, were killed during anti-drug operations in Tanke.
Meanwhile, six were arrested and around P300,000 worth of shabu were seized in Talisay City in separate operations within nine hours.
A 17-year-old was arrested in Barangay Sawang Calero.
At around 8:30 a.m. yesterday, a John Patrick Yap was arrested in Sitio Manipis, Barangay Campo 6, Talisay City.
A subject of a buy-bust operation, Jockeylou Yap, alias Awa, 38, remains at large.
Alleged shabu weighing 10.15 grams, worth around P119,888 under Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) value, and a .357 caliber pistol were seized in the operations.
At 12:15 a.m. yesterday, Ryan Paca and Lucresion Docdoc were arrested in Barangay Sambag, Cebu City.
Two packs of alleged shabu were taken from them.
In Tupas St., Barangay Sawang Calero, Cebu City, a man and a minor were arrested at 11:45 p.m. last Saturday.
Forty-one small packs of alleged shabu amounting to P34,000 were taken from them.
Fifteen minutes after, Christian Baliguat and Ramil Estremos were arrested in Sitio Puntod, Barangay Mambaling.
Two medium-sized sachets of alleged shabu weighing 11.5 grams and worth P135,700 were seized from them.
The suspects will face cases of violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act. HBL