NEGROS Occidental has the most number of high-value target (HVT) drug personalities in the region, records of the Police Regional Office-Western Visayas show.
Of the 105 total HVT in the region, Negros Occidental had the most number with 50 followed by Bacolod City with 32 targets.
According to the PNP records, Iloilo province has 11 targets; Capiz, 4; Antique and Iloilo City, three each and one each in the provinces of Aklan and Guimaras.
Bacolod City and Negros Occidental are two areas in Western Visayas where millions of pesos worth of illegal drugs, particularly methamphetamine hydrochloride or
“shabu”, were confiscated in recent months.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Joem Malong, PRO-Western Visayas spokesperson, clarified that the number could change because of the reloading during the periodic assessment of the Regional Oversight Committee.
“If we monitor another target operating, that’s being added to the list,” Malong said.
The HVT drug personalities will be subjected to police operations until they are neutralized.
PRO records showed that the 105 HVT drug personalities are part of its 1,632 high value targets police have listed from December 5, 2017 to December 19, 2019.
Negros Occidental has the most number of HVT drug personalities at 440 while Bacolod City has 370.
Iloilo City listed 271 targets while Iloilo province has 243 HVT personalities; Aklan with 92; Capiz with 91; Antique with 89; and Guimaras with 36.
Of the total HVT targets, 922 were already arrested while 100 cannot be located. Most of those who just vanished from their last known address are from
Iloilo City with 40.
“They could have relocated to other areas,” Malong said. She said 444 drug personalities have surrendered but are still under monitoring.
“They could always surrender and still continue their operations. That’s why, monitoring still continues,” she said.