Police Lieutenant Ryan Devaras, Deputy City Director for Administration of the Cebu City Police Office. CDN Digital photo | Pegeen Maisie Sararana
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) has revealed that they are closely monitoring the 80 barangays in the city for illegal drug activities.
“We have weekly oversight committee on anti-illegal drugs and gi-evaluate nato na tanan pirmi. So, we monitor all the areas nga naa gihapon mga involvement sa illegal drugs sa mga barangays,” said CCPO Deputy City Director for Administration Ryan Devaras in a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, June 3o.
Devaras made the statement following the operation of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI-7) last Thursday, June 24, which resulted in the closure of two drug dens in Barangays Punta Princesa and Mambaling.
He said they have deployed police intelligence personnel in the barangays to monitor peace and order, as well as to monitor illegal activities, with constant coordination with other law enforcement agencies.
“Cooperative man atong mga barangay officials. Ongoing ang atong mga procedures sa barangay clearing, so naa tay mga meeting ani, and they are very active sa atong mga campaign against illegal drugs,” he added.
The NBI operation in Sitio Siphai in Punta Princesa resulted in the arrest of two individuals who served as den visitors and rescued two minors, whose mother is still at large as of this posting.
The mother, who maintains the drug den, allegedly lets her two-year-old son play with a tooter, a tube-like object which drug users use for snorting cocaine or other substances.
On the same day, a couple who has been suspected of maintaining a drug den in Sitio Imhai in Barangay Mambaling was also arrested together with three visitors.
Their 16-year-old kid was allegedly used to distribute illegal drugs in the area, though the mother denied this allegation.
Just like NBI-7 Director Renan Oliva, Devaras was surprised that parents would let their children involved in their illegal drug activities.
Oliva, earlier expressed alarm over the presence of the minors in drug dens.
Devaras said they are being dealt with according to their age, stressing that children aged 15 years old and above will be charged while those below the said age will be turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
As part of their interventions, Devaras said the women’s desks are constantly conducting symposiums and meetings concerning the matter and stressed that the community feedback has so far been good.
Related story: https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/385361/nbi-7-alarmed-by-presence-of-toddlers-in-punta-princesa-drug-den