ILOILO – Colonel Bayani Razalan, the officer-in-charge (OIC) of the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO), has outlined four primary areas of focus for law enforcement efforts.
The strategy emphasizes combating illegal drugs, gambling, unauthorized fishing, and apprehending wanted individuals.
Razalan instructed all local police chiefs to ramp up efforts against these illegal activities, “particularly targeting drugs and gambling.”
Recent IPPO data showed that between April 19 and May 19 of this year, law enforcement conducted 41 anti-drug operations, leading to the arrest of 47 drug dealers and the seizure of approximately 1,487.34 grams of shabu, valued at around P10.1 million.
Of those apprehended, 13 were identified as high-value targets.
In addition, IPPO’s tracker teams executed 96 manhunt operations, resulting in the arrest of 96 fugitives, including 15 who were classified as most wanted.
The campaign against illegal gambling has also seen significant results, with 28 individuals arrested and P16,173 in bet money confiscated across 15 operations.
Efforts to curb the possession of unlicensed firearms resulted in 11 successful operations, securing the arrest of 10 individuals and the confiscation of nine firearms lacking the necessary documentation.
The “Tokhang Kontra Armas Luthang” initiative yielded an additional 37 unlicensed firearms, and seven firearms with expired licenses were temporarily secured at police stations for safekeeping.
Also, the IPPO, in collaboration with Bantay-Dagat task forces, conducted seven operations against illegal fishing, which led to the apprehension of 19 fishermen and the impounding of 10 fishing vessels.
Razalan praised the accomplishments of the local police but stressed the need for continued vigilance.
“The performance of our officers has been commendable, yet there is always room for improvement to ensure sustained peace and order in the province,” he said./PN
