By Perla Lena
ILOILO CITY – Within a month, the intensive anti-drug campaign in Western Visayas has resulted in the seizure of suspected shabu valued at approximately PHP46.12 million and marijuana valued at PHP10,320.
According to data from the Police Regional Office (PRO) 6 (Western Visayas), between February 15 and March 15, a total of 201 police operations were conducted by various police units in the region. These operations led to the apprehension of 52 high-value targets and 207 street-level individuals. Additionally, authorities confiscated 6,783.26 grams of suspected shabu and 86 grams of marijuana.
PRO-6 Director, Brig. Gen. Jack Wanky, in an interview Tuesday, said the sustained illegal drugs campaign proved to be his biggest accomplishment since he assumed his post last month.
“We have seen the dedication of our policemen. We are really happy with what they are accomplishing as far as illegal drugs are concerned,” he said.
He noted that due to the intense campaign against illegal drugs in Metro Manila, the remaining stocks are shipped to various provinces, as evidenced by the huge volume seized in various sting operations.
The biggest yield in this region, so far, came from the operations in Iloilo City wherein suspected shabu with an estimated street value of PHP23.6 million was seized, followed by Iloilo province with PHP12.27 million, Negros Occidental with PHP6.1 million, and Bacolod City with PHP2.32 million.
Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) director Col. Joeresty Coronica, in a separate interview, said Iloilo City as a regional center is considered as a transshipment point, thus while most of the transactions are here, the drugs are intended for distribution outside the city.
He said the regional director ordered them to focus on big transactions, so they seized many high-value individuals.
“We should not be alarmed by the big recoveries,” he said, adding that before the drugs reach the streets, the police have already seized the substance during operations.
He said the challenge is preventing the entry of drugs through the roll-on, roll-off or barges because most of the supply came from Luzon.
On Monday, the Regional Police Drug Enforcement Unit 6, with support from various units of the ICPO, arrested three high-value individuals and two street-level individuals during a sting in Barangay Tanza, Baybay in Iloilo City and confiscated 1,955 grams of suspected shabu, valued at PHP7.17 million. (PNA)
