Relentless anti-drug campaigns implemented in the region this year have attained significant accomplishments.
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Cordillera Director Gil Cesario Castro during the 4th Quarter Meeting of the Cordillera Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC), reported that in partnership with the Police Regional Office, they have conducted 636 anti-illegal drugs operations from January to November that resulted in the seizure of around P1.67 billion worth of illegal drugs.
The campaign also led to the arrest of 503 individuals including 62 who are listed as drug personalities and filing in court of 669 cases, mostly on violation of the Philippine Comprehensive Dangerous Drug Act of 2002.
Castro said anti-illegal drug operations in the region were mostly on clamping down on drug personalities who are smuggling marijuana and its byproducts using online platform, public and private transport utilities and even those using tourism activities or travel circuits to do their illegal drug trades.
He added there are some marijuana cultivators who are mixing their illegal trade with their vegetable products.
PDEA-Cordillera’s report also involved the confiscation of around P3 million worth of the party drugs, ecstacy, by a foreign source that tried to smuggle it to the region.
Castro said they are seriously working on their Barangay Drug Clearing Program and also leading the strict monitoring and adjudication of Inter-agency Drug Information Database, which also include monitoring of drug personalities in regional line agencies, local government offices, and election candidates.
Castro said PDEA-Cordillera will continue with its committed work in hoping to sustain the integrity of numbers in their accomplishment this year and sustain the momentum in 2022.
Units of the Armed Forces deployed in Cordillera also reported the “whole of nation approach” to end local communist armed conflict in the region is also succeeding.
Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, who is also the RPOC Chairperson, lauded PDEA-Cordillera and other law enforcement agencies in the region for their relentless campaign and significant accomplishments not only against illegal – drugs, but also on peace and order and security towards the goal of ensuring that Cordillera is a safe and peaceful place to live, work and do business. – Carlito C. Dar
