Over 40 drug ‘surrenderers’ in Mandaue turn to Zumba

Drug surrenderers, together with 20 policemen, enjoy dancing Zumba at the Mandaue City Police Office grounds. (CDN PHOTO/FERDINAND EDRALIN)

More than 40 illegal drug users from Mandaue who surrendered to the police joined the Zumba dance exercise held yesterday afternoon at the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) grounds.

The city’s Police Community Relations (PCR) conducted the activity to make the surrenderers busy and to prevent them from engaging again in illegal drug activity.

More than 20 policemen from different police stations also joined the Zumba.

“We have already prepared activities for us to have regular contacts with the surrenderers,” SPO3 Kerwin Bejer of the PCR said in Cebuano.

He said they would call the surrenderers oftentimes through their barangay officials if there is an incoming activity, such as livelihood training.

“We were also planning to hold a spiritual retreat to help renew their lives,” added Bejer.

Bejer said among the activities they prepared for the surrenderers was the clean-up drive at the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC). More than a hundred surrenderers from different barangays joined the clean-up last Tuesday.

Bejer said Mandaue City Mayor Luigi Quisumbing, the MCPO, the local social welfare department and some non-government organizations were coordinating with each other in finding ways to help the surrenderers.

The MCPO has already recorded more than 700 surrenderers since the start of Oplan Tokhang (toktok hangyo) early this month.