ILOILO City – In seven months and 1,905 operations, policemen arrested 7,366 persons involved in various illegal activities in Western Visayas, data from the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) showed.
The number of operations between January and July this year was 28.86 percent higher than those carried out in the same period last year.
This year’s operations resulted to the arrest of 1,371 drug pushers in 879 operations; 4,099 gamblers in 734 operations; 571 individuals for possession of unlicensed firearms in 238 operations; and 1,325 fishermen in 27 operations.
“Our personnel across the region strive hard in conducting more operations especially in illegal gambling and illegal drugs, and we expect more arrests in the coming months,” said Police Lieutenant Colonel Joem Malong, PRO-6 spokesperson.
“Maybe indi lang amo ‘ni kadamo ang ma-arrest if wala pandemic,” Malong added.
Malong said the increase in the number of police operations and apprehensions this year could be attributed to the religious implementation of “Oplan Birada Semana” and the weekly review being conducted by the Regional Oversight Committee (ROC) on illegal drugs and Enhanced Managing Police Operation (EMPO).
“Oplan Birada Semana” encourages police units to have weekly targets. Police stations with the highest number of arrests and operations will be given awards.
The Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO), Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO), Antique Police Provincial Office (APPO), and Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) exceled from January to July in the number of operations conducted, Malong noted./PN
