CEBU CITY, Philippines — As the saying goes, “if there’s a will, there’s a way.”
This may be true for those who are involved in the illegal drug trade and were caught despite the implementation of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in Cebu City.
As of April 20, 2020, the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) has arrested a total of 86 drug personalities and recovered P4.2 million worth of illegal drugs from the buy-bust operations and marijuana plantation eradication that were conducted in seven days.
Police Colonel Josefino Ligan, chief of CCPO, told reporters that they continue to conduct their usual anti-criminality operations on top of the other tasks given with the ongoing ECQ and dual security in areas with COVID-19 positive cases.
“Our policemen continue to implement operations on out anti-criminality campaign,” said Ligan.
With the police presence of the alert CCPO policemen, Ligan said that the eight focused crimes were low for the last seven days and in fact only tallied one theft.
Ligan added that since most of the families are at home, they are able to eliminate one of the factors of committing crime, which is opportunity.
He urged families to continue to be alert in guarding their properties.
“Kay naa naman gyud mo dinha, bantayi gyud inyoha nga mga panimalay,” said Ligan.
(Since you’re just there, make sure to watch over your homes.)
Meanhwile, Ligan said one of the reasons why the crime rate for the eight focused crime is low for the past week is the controlled entrance and exit of each sitios and barangays.
Ligan said that other barangays only have one exit and entrance, which means those guarding are able to tell those entering are residents of the area.
Added police presence also helps discourage individuals to commit crime. /bmjo