The anti-drug campaign in Western Visayas strictly follows the instructions of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., a police official said on Tuesday, July 23.
In his State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 22, President Marcos touted the administration’s bloodless war on dangerous drugs, in which extermination is not a part of the strategy.
“With our campaign against illegal drugs, we adhere to the directive of our President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. that we should implement our campaign in accordance to our rules and regulations and police operational procedure with respect to human rights,” said Police Regional Office (PRO-6) spokesperson Lt. Colonel Arnel Solis in an interview.
“We contributed a lot to the campaign against illegal drugs. We have intensified campaigns that resulted in a high number of arrests and volumes of confiscation. So far, from January to June 2024, we have not recorded any deaths with regard to our operation on illegal drugs,” he said.
PRO-6 data showed its campaign during the first half of 2024 resulted in the seizure of approximately 34,297 grams of shabu with an estimated drug price of P233 million, and 20,200 grams of marijuana valued at P2.4 million.
Authorities also arrested 1,600 illegal drug peddlers as a result of 1,208 police operations conducted regionwide from January to June.
The highest volume of illegal drug confiscation, approximately valued at P71 million, was delivered by the Regional Police Drug Enforcement Unit, followed by the Iloilo City Police Office and the Iloilo Police Provincial Office, with estimated prices of around P68 million and P53 million, respectively.
PRO-6 regional director Brigadier General Jack Wanky said the arrests served as a stern warning to those who still engage in the illegal drugs trade to stop and surrender to authorities or end up in jail.
Wanky also recognized the collective contributions of the different stakeholders across the region for the successful campaign.
“These accomplishments were the product of the patience and sacrifices of our personnel on the ground. Moreover, we reached this far because of the support of the local government units, the community as our source of information, and other stakeholders,” he said in a statement. (PNA)