No more fears: QCPD sets more raids to ‘liberate’ Salaam Compound

The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) plans to turn a drug-infested area into a model community by continuing its regular conduct of raids and Oplan Tokhang operations.

For years, policemen were afraid to enter Salaam Compound in Barangay Culiat which has a reputation for hosting heavily-armed drug lords.

The compound is home to around 10,000 people, mostly Muslims. Authorities consider it one of their primary targets in the war against illegal drugs.

Since July 1, 10 drug dens in the area have been raided. In the first house-to-house search conducted under “Oplan Galugad” in certain parts of the community on Aug. 31, more than 70 people were arrested for drugs, a lot of them nonresidents. As of Thursday, over 200 drug pushers and users have been arrested in the compound, including three who were caught with “shabu” (methamphetamine hydrochloride).

“We want to change the notorious image of the place through our continuous police operations,” QCPD chief Senior Supt. Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar said.

According to him, they want to turn it from a place notorious for crimes and illegal drugs to a peaceful one.

“We want to show the residents that the help coming from the police will continue until we make Salaam a peaceful and drug-free community,” Eleazar said.

He added that barangay officials and tribal leaders in the area have been very cooperative, providing them with useful information.

Acknowledging that it would be a hard task, Eleazar said that “liberating” Salaam would pose a challenge to the QCPD, especially in its intensified wars on drugs in the city.

Newly assigned District Salaam Officer Supt. Jeffrey Bilaro, who has been tasked to monitor and coordinate with Muslim communities, told the Inquirer that the police was closely monitoring activities in the area.

“Together with volunteers, the police are not allowing anyone from other areas to go into the community except the relatives of the residents,” Bilaro said. He explained that this was to prevent illegal drugs from being brought into the compound.

Aside from these efforts, Bilaro said they were also planning to have activities like basketball games in the area to keep the residents busy.

“We are also coordinating with the QC Muslim Consultative Council to help us in the community,” he added.