Between January 18 and 21, amid the highlights of the 2018 Sinulog Festival in Cebu City, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-9 (PDEA-7) conducted six anti-illegal drug operations, which resulted in the recovery of 1.3 kilograms of shabu, valued around P7 million; along with the arrest of 10 suspected drug dealers.

According to PDEA-7 Director Emerson Margate, the suspects were from Mindanao and were on the PDEA-9 watchlist.

“They took advantage of Sinulog as they [knew] many people [would] come here,” he said.

The suspects were apprehended in both Cebu City and Mactan City with all currently detained on charges in violation of RA 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

During the Sinulog 2018 Grand Parade, which took place last Sunday, the safety precautions undertaken included a liquor ban, which prohibited liquor within a 300-meter radius of the parade route, along with a shut down of mobile phone services between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. that day./PLL, WDJ