ILOILO City – Relentless antidrug operations in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental may be driving drug traffickers there to move their operation to Iloilo, according to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA). A suspected drug courier from Silay City, Negros Occidental was recently arrested in Barangay San Salvador, Banate, Iloilo.
Negros-based drug traffickers could be thinking they were safer in Iloilo because nobody knew them, said Director Alex Tablate of PDEA Region 6.
PDEA has tightened its monitoring of seaports most especially in northern Iloilo. Its operatives are on the lookout for transient drug pushers in coordination with the Police Regional Office 6.
“Bacolod City and Negros Occidental ang focus natin at ng pulis so they’re trying to sell their stuff in Iloilo. Hindi nila alam na nasa surveillance na sila,” said Tablate.
The 43-year-old Gerardo Casumpang of Barangay Guinhalaran, Silay City was collared at around 11 p.m. on Wednesday by the Banate police.
According to Police Captain Genesis Roque, Banate police chief, an asset managed to buy from the suspect a sachet of shabu for P1,000.
Eight more sachets were recovered from Casupang, added Roque.
The Banate police prepared for Casumpang after receiving a tip that the suspect was coming to Iloilo.
“We used an asset to transact with him. He apparently had a contact in Banate,” said Roque.
PDEA’s Tablate cited the people of Banate for cooperating with the police.
“We can be successful of our drive against illegal drugs if there’s cooperation from the community. Let’s help one another to end the proliferation of illegal drugs,” he said.
Early this week, the PDEA director reported that the supply of illegal drugs in Iloilo significantly dropped following the deaths of drug lords Melvin “Boyet” Odicta Sr. in August 2016 in Barangay Caticlan, Malay, Aklan and Richard “Buang” Prevendido in September 2017 in Barangay Balabago, Jaro district here.
In Bacolod City and Negros Occidental, however, said Tablate, drug trafficking remains a challenge.
“Please help us in our campaign. Give us information. PDEA and the police could not stop drug trafficking without the help of the community,” he stressed.
Tablate expressed concern that demand for illegal drugs, particularly party drugs, could rise this holiday season.
Party drugs, also called club drugs or rave drugs, are recreational drugs that have stimulating properties. Regular use can lead to the user craving more of the drug, resulting to addiction.
Of particular concern to the PDEA are the seaports where drug traffickers are known to slip their stocks.
“We will be utilizing 10 K-9 dogs aside from partnering with the police,” said Tablate.
“K-9” (a homophone of “canine”) are dogs trained to assist law enforcers detect contrabands such as illegal drugs and explosives. “We need to double our efforts in monitoring the entry of illegal drugs. We expect a high demand for them this Christmas season when most people have money,” said Tablate./PN
