LAST Saturday, Nov. 17, Senior Supt. Royina Garma, director of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), spoke before members of the Commission on the Laity and the Lay Organizations, Movements, Associations and Services during their monthly caucus at the IC3 Convention Center.
Garma used the occasion to admit that they’re looking at other ways to wage the war against illegal drugs. Their drug busts, including one-time, big-time operations, have not even solved one-fourth of the problem, she said.
Last week, police seized P7.5 million worth of drugs within a 17-hour period. Then at dawn last Sunday, Nov. 18, 25-year-old Jeffrey Jade Cordero was arrested during a drug bust in Sitio Caimito in Barangay Tisa, where police confiscated 3.3 kilos of suspected shabu with a street value of P39 million.
Well, judging by the recent hauls, Cebu City’s drug supply appears to be inexhaustible.
Garma admitted that the police cannot go at it alone. That the private sector needs to get involved.
“We have to support as a community. It’s a one-nation approach. Pagsinabi mo na ‘one nation,’ even basic members sa community, lahat tayo, mayroong responsibility,” she said.
Garma said they’re putting finishing touches on the CCPO’s Big Brother, Big Sister program.
Apparently, the police organization has realized that it needs to also focus on the drug surrenderers, to make sure they’ve undergone rehabilitation and have kicked the drug habit for good. Because if the demand for illegal drugs drops, then so should the supply, right? Well, in theory, at least.
Garma was well aware that the Big Brother, Big Sister program might raise some eyebrows.
I mean, each drug surrenderer will be assigned a police officer whose duty is to check on the former, either through text messages or through home visits. Critics of this administration will look at that as an invasion of a person’s right to privacy. Or something like that.
“I’m just thinking of the possible negative feedback or negative comment or interpretation of the program kung ang pulis natin will be visiting the houses kasi one-on-one eto, eh,” Garma said.
But the police need to do something different. The millions worth of shabu that continue to be seized have shown that the police have not even penetrated the drug trade’s armor.
But then, it’s also unfair to place the burden of solving the problem solely on the shoulders of authorities and the community, if the drug surrenderers don’t take responsibility for their actions.
Otherwise, the Big Brother, Big Sister program will just be a waste of everyone’s time.