CITY OF SAN FERNANDO --- The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Central Luzon on Wednesday disclosed that Pampanga province is not among the sources of illegal drugs in the country.
In an interview over DwRW 95.1 FM's "Talakayan," PDEA Regional Information Officer Glenn Guillermo said that based on records from the agency's national headquarters, the identified major source of illegal drugs like "shabu" is Cavite.
"Pampanga is not a source of illegal drugs. Based on PDEA national headquarters, it is Cavite. Pampanga is just a transshipment point in Luzon as there are entry points like Clark and Subic ports and areas going to the north," he said.
Guillermo noted that there have been no identified local clandestine illegal drug laboratories in the province.
He said the last one was shut down in 2016 in Arayat town.
"Illegal drugs are now mostly imported. These are being attempted to be smuggled into the country in ports like Clark and Subic but PDEA and other authorities are keenly monitoring this through the inter-agency interdiction taskforce. Millions worth of drugs have already been intercepted by this taskforce and PDEA," Guillermo said.
Methamphetamine hydrochloride still tops the list of the most abused substances that includes marijuana, kush, cocaine, heroine, ketamine and party drugs like ecstasy.
He said PDEA continues with its drug clearing operations like buy-bust operations, dismantling of suspected drug dens and most importantly, reformation of drug users in the agency's established rehabilitation centers in Pampanga, Bataan and Nueva Ecija.
"In Pampanga, PDEA's drug clearing operations is still on the three cities of Angeles, Mabalacat and San Fernando," he added.