Central Visayas tops fight vs illegal drugs

The Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) is the front-runner among regional police units in the campaign against illegal drugs, statistics indicate.

From July 1 to Sept. 25 this year, PRO-7 has seized illegal drugs with a street value estimated at over  P40.6 million, said Supt. Marvin Sanchez, chief of PRO-7’s Regional Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group (RAIDSOTG).

The figure slightly differs from the data released by the Regional Intelligence Division which said that P40.9 million worth of shabu were confiscated by seven police units in Central Visayas from July 2 to Sept. 25.

The police units include the RAIDSOTG-7, Regional Special Operations Group-7 (RSOG-7), Cebu City Police office (CCPO), Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO), Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LLCPO), Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO), Bohol Provincial Police Office (BPPO), Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office (NOPPO) and Siquijor Provincial Police Office (SPPO).

Cebu City seized the most with P13.2 million while Siquijor is last with just  P15,576 worth of illegal drugs seized.

Sanchez said that compared to last year, more people suspected of  involvement in illegal drug activities were arrested this year.

“As of January 1 – Aug. 31, there were 1,831 persons arrested for illegal drug cases. Last year, we only arrested 1,041,” Sanchez said.

Supt. Arnel Banzon, deputy chief for administration of CCPO, said 50 out of 80 barangays in Cebu City were “slightly affected” by illegal drugs while 21 were “moderately affected”.

Nine Cebu City barangays are “seriously affected” by illegal drugs, said Banzon.

Banzon said students and the youth are mostly affected by illegal drugs.

Senior Insp. Sandly Sabang of the Regional Police Community Relations Division-7 (RPCRD-7) said the campaign against illegal drugs will be further intensified.

“We sent memos to the lower units to conduct lectures, symposium down to the barangays ,” said Sabang.