Maria Constantinopla, PNP-IAS: 1,411 incidents under motu proprio investigation from January to October. Of incidents, 1,298, all resulting in deaths, happened between July and September. Of the cases, 300 are resolved (policemen followed procedure) and 28 are for summary hearing (probable cause to charge for violation of PNP procedure). No murder cases filed against policemen.
Manila Police District director, Supt. Joel Coronel: From July 1 to Oct. 5, 200 drug suspects “neutralized” in police operations and 54 deaths under inquiry (DUI). No MPD personnel involved in salvaging. Of DUI cases, nine cleared with seven suspects identified. Of suspects, four were killed in course of arrest.
Coronel says there are three motives for DUIs: nonremittance of collected drug money; turf war between rival drug syndicates; and possibility of policemen previously involved in drugs killing own sources. Of the latter, two are in active service while the rest are former policemen. There are 12-14 cases of DUIs in a month on average.
Coronel: 195 firearms of different calibers, mostly .45 cal. pistols, seized from 200 neutralized drug offenders. All submitted to PNP Crime Laboratory.
Coronel cites PDEA report saying Baseco in Tondo and Sampaloc are most drug-affected areas in Manila. He explains most of distribution network comes from these areas.
Drop by 49 percent in crimes vs property and even crimes vs persons since campaign started three months ago. Core of MPD campaign is supply reduction which resulted in arrest of 1,695 drug users and pushers. On average, 25 to 35 arrests everyday. Coronel says 92 percent of Manila is affected by the use of illegal drugs. Although a few barangays have been cleared, around 120 barangays.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson asks why there are fewer firearms seized than slain drug personalities; Coronel explains there are those armed with blades.
Lacson asks PDEA to make an analysis and submit to committee why, if there is scarce supply of and low demand for narcotics, prices are still high, P1,300 to P25,000 per gram of “shabu.”
PDEA Director General Isidro Lapeña says PDEA has redefined drug affectation in barangays as seriously affected, moderately affected and slightly affected. Seriously affected means there is presence of a clandestine shabu laboratory or marijuana plantation and 20 percent of residents in the barangay are users; moderately affected when 2 percent of persons are users; and slightly affected when less than 2 percent use narcotics. He says there is an ongoing survey in 42,000 barangays to update data based on new definition.