LEGAZPI CITY (PIA) – The Philippine National Police (PNP) arrested 1,427 persons, more than 1,300 of them were drug pushers, and confiscated at least P281,177,349 worth of illegal drugs during its “war on drugs” in Bicol region last year.
Police Brigadier General Anthony S. Alcañeses, Police Regional Office 5 (PRO-5) director, said the drug operations yielded 4,703 sachets of “shabu” (crystal meth) which totaled 1 839.32 grams; 164 sachets of marijuana, and 53, 052.33 grams of cocaine.
Alcañeses said the campaign resulted to the clearing of 1,063 drug affected barangays in the region.
“As of now we continue to make efforts to reach out to the remaining 1,727 affected barangays,” he said.
In another vein, Alcañeses disclosed that 2,307 persons were arrested in the PNP’s campaign against illegal gambling in Bicol.
“We were able to steer a total of 969 operations which netted 2,307 persons,” he said. “And we will continue to strengthen our operations to curb Illegal gambling activities in all provinces of the region in compliance with the Executive Order No.13 duly signed by President Duterte.”
Alcañeses said he would enforce a one-strike policy on provincial directors, unit commanders and chiefs of police who fail to end illegal gambling in their jurisdictions.
“Failure to do so will merit the corresponding administrative sanction if evidence warrants,” he said. “The men and women of PRO-5 takes full action to put an end to our problem on illegal gambling as it is deemed and has been proven as the propagating cause of poverty and corruption.”
He continued: “Hence, we urge the people of Bicol to report to us any form of illegal gambling that they would see in their respective areas. Any act relating to this will not be tolerated and will be charged in accordance with the law.”
Alcañeses appealed to police provincial directors to strictly obey and support the “no-take policy” of PNP Chief Archie Gamboa in order to end corruption and abuse from their ranks. (NNL-PIAV)