GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/17 November) — The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Region 12 has recovered nearly P6 million worth of illegal drugs in various operations this year in parts of the region.
Kath Abad, PDEA Region 12 spokesperson, said Tuesday such haul was based on the 56 successful anti-drug raids and buy-bust operations they conducted within the region’s four provinces and five cities from January to October.
She said they seized around 500 grams of metamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu worth P4 million and 50 kilos of marijuana valued at P1.7 million.
“We arrested 89 drug personalities as a result of these operations and all are currently facing charges in local courts,” she said in a media forum in Koronadal City.
Abad said their latest recovery comprised around 50 grams of shabu worth P375,000 and involved an alleged bigtime pusher operating in this city.
The suspect, who was identified as Daureen Ampatuan, 34, was nabbed following a buy-bust operation in Barangay Apopong here last Nov. 2.
In October she said they also recovered around 160 grams of shabu in two separate raids in suspected drug dens in this city and uprooted 20 kilos of marijuana in a raid in Sarangani Province.
For drug personalities, Abad said among those arrested were a member of the Citizen’s Armed Forces Geographical Unit based in Tampakan town in South Cotabato and a member of the Civil Security Unit of Maitum town in Sarangani.
The official clarified that based on their mandate, their enforcement activities are focused on high-impact operations and high-value targets.
In terms of volume, she said their required haul should not be less than 50 grams for shabu and a kilo for marijuana.
“We’re complementing the operations of our police units by focusing on bigger targets,” she said.
Citing their monitoring, Abad said Cotabato City and Maguindanao are the main sources of illegal drugs, especially shabu, that are proliferating in the region.
She said drug couriers transport their supplies to key drop off points in North Cotabato and South Cotabato before they are distributed by local pushers.
“We have teams that are continually monitoring these drug routes and we’ve already made some accomplishments these months. Rest assured that we will not stop until we effectively address this problem,” she added. (MindaNews)
