Region 12 war on drugs successful in 2017

The rise of prices of illegal stuff was noted beginning early in 2017 and its supply has gone limited, the PDEA said.(Wikimedia Commons)

COTABATO CITY— The war on drugs in 2017 in Region 12 or the SOCCSKSARGEN area could be considered largely successful with the supply of prohibited drugs getting scarce, a police official said.

Chief Inspector Aldrin Gonzales, speaking for the Police Regional Office No. 12, said in a statement that the success of police anti-drug campaign could be attributed mainly to the public’s cooperation and peoples’ confidence on the police as well as other law enforcement agencies in the region.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Region 12 also cited cooperation from major sectors in the success of the anti-drug campaign, one of the banner programs of President Rodrigo Duterte.

The rise of prices of illegal stuff was noted beginning early in 2017 and its supply has gone limited, the PDEA said.

“Prices of meth (shabu) have gone up it would be difficult for ordinary folks to secure one, simply a law of demand and supply applies,” PDEA-12 Director Valente Fortunato Cariño said in a radio interview here.

Since July this year, the police had conducted 2,043 anti-drug operations in the provinces of Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato, Sarangani and North Cotabato, including the cities of Cotabato, Kidapawan, Tacurong and Gen. Santos.

In such operations conducted in partnership with other law enforcement agencies, 2,625 persons were placed behind bars after their arrest during drug buy-bust operations and serving of search warrants.

Unfortunately, 131 of the drug personalities perished for resisting arrest or shooting it out with lawmen during anti-drug operation.

As compared to last year, the police in Region 12 seized 2,698.89 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride, more known as shabu and 10,759.42 grams of dried marijuana were also recovered.

Estimated amount of illegal drugs was at about P18 million. Illegal drugs seized last year was only placed at about 1,500 grams.

Some 311 firearms of assorted calibers were also recovered and 200 grenades, ordnance and improvised explosive devices were confiscated.

Gonzales said the operations were also conducted in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and Philippine Army.

Among the famous drug personalities neutralized by government law enforcement agencies in the region were Maasim Mayor Aniceto Lopez Jr who eluded arrest but later surrendered to Sen. Manny Pacquiao in Gen. Santos City.

PDEA and police operatives raided Lopez’s home in Maasim town in October this year and seized more than P5 million worth of shabu, several firearms, explosives, a mini-laboratory for meth manufacturing and a green book that contained names of personalities engaged in illegal drugs in the region.

In September this year, PDEA and police agents also arrested Koronadal City based businessman Ruel Espinoza alias Balong, 54, who was listed as “high value drug dealer.”

Former PDEA-12 Regional Director Gil Cesario Castro tagged Espinoza a member of the El Patron Drug Group, which operates in Koronadal and nearby cities and municipalities in Region 12.

The PDEA-12 is conducting surveillance operation against three other mayors from the region linked to the El Patron illegal drugs network of arrested suspected drug lord Mayor Lopez. PDEA Director-General Aaron Aquino said the possible involvement of the mayors in the illegal drug trade was uncovered based on the contents of a “green book” recovered from Lopez’s home in Barangay Lumasal, Sarangani.

“We are monitoring the activities of the three mayors who will be the next target of our anti-drug operation (and) in due time they will fall,” Aquino said, without identifying the local executives nor the provinces they belong.

In January this year, police killed two suspected members of jihadist group Ansar Al-Khilafa Philippines, including a foreign national, in Sarangani.

Former PRO-12 spokesperson Supt. Romeo Galgo, identified the suspects as Abu Naila, a foreign national, and a certain Kadija, a female. They were killed in a follow-up operation in Barangay Daliao, Maasim town.

The raid that led to the death of two AKP members came three days after police neutralized the jihadist group’s leader in Sarangani, Mohammad Jaafar Maguid alias Tokboy, in Kiamba, Sarangani.

Three other suspected members of the group were arrested. Tokboy’s group is one of the terrorists’ cells operating in Mindanao next to Maute terrorist groups and Abu Sayyaf Group.