Cops intensify antidrug ops for Panaad sa Negros

BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA

BACOLOD City – The Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO) is closely monitoring the entry of illegal drugs into the province ahead of the Panaad sa Negros Festival 2023 next week.

Police Captain Judesses Catalogo, NOCPPO spokesperson, said it is likely that drug traffickers will secure additional supply of illegal drugs and sell them off to users.

The NOCPPO requested for additional checkpoints at the province’s main entry points, particularly in Bacolod City.

Catalogo said they are also requesting for the deployment of additional K9 units to sniff out any illegal substance that may be smuggled into the province.

During the MassKara Festival in this city last year, both the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency made several interceptions and drug busts which resulted in seizures of shabu.

The biggest confiscation was made on Oct. 13, 2022. Operatives of the Bacolod City Police Office-City Drug Enforcement Unit seized 1.2 kilos of shabu valued at P8.5 million in Barangay 1 from two persons.

Also, as part of the security measures for the comeback of the Panaad sa Negros Festival, a province-wide gun ban will be enforced.

NOCPPO will suspend all permits to carry firearms outside of residence from 12:01 a.m. of April 17 until 11:59 p.m. of April 23

Panaad sa Negros Festival is dubbed the “Festival of all Festivals” in Negros Occidental.

The event would also be held for the first time following a three-year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic./PN