Police Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Ace Pelare, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), shares the region’s police’s achievements in the first quarter of the year. | CDN Digital FILE PHOTO
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Some 4,300 drug personalities have been arrested and nearly P500 million worth of suspected shabu has been confiscated in Central Visayas in the first quarter of 2023.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Ace Pelare, spokesperson for the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), said that the arrests and amount of illegal drugs confiscated would be considered a big achievement of the police in the region.
READ: Central Visayas: Weeklong police operations yield P36M shabu; slight dip in crimes noted
From shabu to illegal gambling
Pelare said in a press briefing on August 8 that the 4,300 drug personalities caught from January to March this year, were just among the 17,000 individuals arrested in different police operations in the region.
He said that PRO-7 policemen also arrested 7,000 individuals who were caught engaging in illegal gambling in the first quarter.
Some 5,008 individuals were arrested after they were served warrants of arrest during that period.
READ: Daanbantayan shooting: 2 persons including minor shot dead in motorcycle chase
From shabu to illegal possession of firearms
Meanwhile, 510 persons were arrested for possession of illegal firearms while 10,000 illegally possessed firearms were also confiscated.
“Kining pagkadakop aning mga tawhana, naka-prevent pod ta og further shooting incidents.” said Pelare.
(With the arrests of these persons, we are also preventing further shooting incidents.)
READ: Most Wanted Person in Central Visayas killed in shootout with cops in Negros Oriental
October elections
Moreover, regarding the upcoming elections this October, the PRO-7 has also started preparing for security measures.
The PRO-7 has already identified the candidates who can receive possible threats to prevent any unlikely outcome in the elections.
PRO-7, however, is still assessing the areas of concern.
READ: Comelec: Election period for 2023 Barangay, SK polls to start July 3
Public assured
Pelare emphasized that the public should not be worried about the areas of concern since it was based on previous elections such as election-related incidents, political rivalry, and among others.
“So far, [for] our assessment, everything is good. But the assessment will be updated as we close to the election period,” said Pelare.| via Mariele Ocubillo, CTU Intern