As Cebu City police operatives continue to launch a series of operations against illegal drugs, three alleged drug pushers operating in the Parian area were arrested including one (center) who sold shabu in Colon Street (CDN PHOTO /LITO TECSON).
The Philippine National Police (PNP) in the region has began to shift gears in its war against illegal drugs, this time focusing on politicians, celebrities, businessmen and other prominent personalities who have links to the narcotics trade.
Police Regional Office (PRO-7) director Chief Superintendent Noli Taliño yesterday announced that Project Double Barrel Alpha, an expanded PNP operation which zeroes in on hunting down high-value targets aside from suspected drug pushers and users, has taken effect starting midnight of October 25, Tuesday.
Taliño said that police in Central Visayas were now set to adapt the nationwide campaign with a new set of drug watch list.
He said that the campaign will be implemented in the next three months alongside other police operations conducted by police stations in the region.
“(In Project Double Barrel Alpha), back to zero ang statistics natin. For the meantime, we will set aside the accomplishments we’ve made during our previous Project Double-Barrel operations,” Taliño told reporters.
Project Double Barrel was the massive police campaign to convince those involved in illegal drugs to reform through Project Tokhang (Toktok-hangyo or knock and persuade) and Project HVT/LVT which focused on high-value and low-value targets.
Taliño said that by the end of December 2016, the results of their previous operations and that of the Project Double Barrel Alpha will be summed up to assess the overall efficacy of the Duterte administration’s anti-illegal drugs campaign during its six-month implementation period.
Aside from the prominent personalities, the public will also soon be subjected to various Tokhang operations.
“We will also conduct different versions of Tokhang operations in public establishments,” Taliño said.
From households of suspected drug pushers and users, the Tokhang Operations will be brought to government offices, call center offices, condominiums, malls and public markets, said Taliño.
Also in line with the heightened campaign against illegal drugs, the PNP will continue its efforts to cleanse its own ranks by monitoring and investigating police officers who are possibly involved in illegal drug use or trade, said Taliño.
Last Tuesday, PO1 Gem Querubin, a beat patrol policeman assigned at the Mambaling Police Station, was arrested in Barangay Sambag 2, Cebu City during a drug bust operation aimed at a “high value target” in the police war on drugs.
Police operatives were surprised to see their colleague, Querubin, in the premises of suspected drug dealer, Sharon Abella’s house.
A search later showed that he was also in possession of a pack of shabu (methamphetamine).
Querubin now faces administrative and criminal charges.