By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Dozens of drug suspects were arrested within the last 24 hours, after the Philippine National Police (PNP) was cleared to resume their campaign against illegal drugs, last Monday.
According to records released by Police Regional Office-18 (PRO-18), as of 6:00 a.m. yesterday, a total of 20 drug personalities were nabbed in 17 buy-bust operations.
The Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) topped the list with 11 people arrested.
In one operation, conducted by Police Station 7 (PS7) in Bacolod City, they managed to arrest 31-year-old Radnie Lanada and his live-in partner, Janet Candelario, 38, at Purok Kabugwason, Barangay Mansilingan.
PS7 commander, Police Chief Inspector Charles Gever, said Lanada was formerly convicted on charges of illegal possession of firearms, but was later acquitted.
He also said Lanada, along with Candelario, were tagged as newly-identified drug personalities in the area.
Police recovered two big sachets of suspected shabu worth P45,000 and drug money amounting to P1,640.
The Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOPPO) also carried out several drug raids in Escalante City, Himamaylan City, Pontevedra, Sagay City, and Silay City, resulting in the arrest of six people.
Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (NOrPPO), meanwhile, conducted three buy-bust operations in Bayawan City, Dumaguete City, and Sibulan, which resulted in three arrests.
Last Monday, PRO-18 received orders from Camp Crame to resume their anti-illegal drug operations in the Negros Island Region.
Under the new operation they dubbed “Oplan: Double Barrel Alpha Reloaded,” all raids are now coordinated with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), and the former members of anti-illegal drug units will no longer be allowed to join the newly formed drug enforcement units of the PNP.
As of press time, PRO-18 is still conducting “marathon” anti-drug operations in different parts of the region./WDJ