Police to work harder in war against drugs

Chief Supt. Jose Mario Espino, Police Regional Office 7 chief, says that the police in the Central Visayas will work harder in their fight against illegal drugs as they are focusing on reducing the supply of illegal drugs in the region.
CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON

The claim of President Duterte that the Philippines is now a “narcotics country” should push the policemen to work harder in the fight against illegal drugs.

“The comment of our President is really a challenge to each personnel of PRO-7 to put a stop on illegal drugs,” said Chief Supt. Jose Mario Espino, Police Regional Office in Central Visayas director.

He stressed that they were bent on reducing the supply of illegal drugs in Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor and Negros Oriental to zero.

At the same time, the PRO-7 planned to cut the demand side to discourage pushers from selling illegal drugs.

During his speech in Ozamis City on Thursday, President Rodrigo Duterte admitted that the Philippines has now become a “narcotics country.”
“Now, magtanong kayo, ang Pilipinas, are we or are we not a narcotics country? Yes, we are,” Duterte said.

He also admitted that he miscalculated the gravity of the problem of illegal drugs when he promised that he would be able to end it in three to six months.

When he took over as President, Mr. Duterte promised to eradicate the problems of illegal drugs in six months, otherwise he would step down.

Mr. Duterte visited Ozamiz City on Thursday, a day after the members of the Parojinog family were buried after they were killed in a bloody drug raid.

Espino told the reporters on Friday that the PRO-7 had led a successful campaign in reducing the supply of illegal drugs in Central Visayas.
Because of tight supply, the cost of shabu had gone up, he added.

Espino said a sachet of shabu that could be bought at P100 now cost P1,000.

While they were doing well in the war against drug, Espino admitted that their efforts were not enough.

Aside from focusing on reducing supply, Espino said they should also work as hard in reducing the demand of illegal drugs.

Espino said their goal was that suppliers had no choice but to stop selling due to the absence of demand.

To reach the objective, the police director asked the local government units and other government agencies like the Department of Education, and the Department of Health to help create a strategy to reduce demand.

“Alam natin na marami parin sa ating kababayan na tumatangkilik at gumagamit pa rin ng shabu dahil sabi nga nila para maibsan ang problema sa buhay. Dun tayo magsumikap hihingin natin ang tulong nila (Many of our countrymen use shabu to forget their problems in life. This is where we will ask the help of the LGUs and other government agencies),” Espino said.