Six cities in Cebu face drug problems

Illegal drugs is one of the main problems affecting six component cities in Cebu, a police official said.

Supt. Rodulfo Albotra, chief of the Provincial Intelligence Branch (PIB) of the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO), said they received reports of illegal drug activities in the cities of Carcar, Danao, Bogo, Toledo, Talisay and Naga.

“The six component cities are affected (with illegal drug activity) but drugs is not our main problem. It’s the job of the PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency). We are just helping them. We are still focusing on the crime against persons and property,” Albotra said.

“We will intensify our drug campaign efforts. We are targeting on youths. The Philippine National Police in general is not tolerating this. We are serious on this,” added Albotra in yesterday’s Talakayan sa Isyung Pulis (TSIP) at the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7).

Albotra said the CPPO’s campaign against illegal drugs has been improving in the last two years.

He said that in 2010, CPPO arrested 323 persons involved in illegal drug activities while 520 persons were arrested in 2011, an increase of 23 percent.

He said P10,576,700 worth of illegal drugs were seized in 2010. The next year, the CPPO seized P9,706,331 of illegal drugs.

Albotra said the CPPO has filed 256 illegal drug cases in 2010 and while 397 were filed in 2011.

As of January 2012 to present, CPPO arrested 104 persons involved in illegal drug activities and 75 cases were filed. The worth of the seized illegal drugs reached P1,165,456 from January  to February this year.

Meanwhile Mauro Licen, PDEA-7 legal officer, said the problem against illegal drugs in Central Visayas is “manageable and under control.”

Licen said that in 2010, PDEA-7 conducted 713 drug operations, which led to the arrest of 713 persons and in 2011, 848 drug operations were conducted, which led to the arrest of 1,035 drug personalities. In January 2012 to present, PDEA-7 conducted 92 drug operations, which led to the arrest of 116 persons./ CORRESPONDENT RHEA RUTH V. ROSELL