URDANETA CITY–Twelve people, 10 of them arrested during a big anti-drug operations at a residential compound in barangay Camantiles here, have been charged with violations of the anti-drugs law in cases filed by the police before the City Prosecutors Office.

Raided by combined elements of the police in Pangasinan and the Ilocos region headed by Senior Superintendent Alejandro Valerio was a compound populated by about 400 Moros, including men, women and children. The place has been tagged as a source of methamphetamine hydrocholoride, more commonly known for its street name shabu, for illegal drug users in Urdaneta City and many other parts of Pangasinan.

Superintendent Paquito Navarrete, chief of police of Urdaneta, expressed fear that had it not been raided, the place could develop into a so-called “shabu tiangge” like the “tiangge” discovered in Pasig City last year.

Charged in the complaint for violation of Republic Act 9165 were couple Delion Banisil, an engineer, and his wife Khalifa, from whom lawmen seized several sachets of shabu.

The Banisil couple is now detained at the Urdaneta City District Jail.

Also charged were Mohamad Ali and Nora Sultan, who, however, eluded arrest and are now the object of an intensive police manhunt.

Although the two managed to escape, eight persons who were found in their house were arrested, including Sheryl Coral, Divina Arizo, Rolando Corpuz, Jovito Manuel, Camilo Rillorda, Abdul Rauf Ampuan, Jerry Pizarro and Oding Abidin.

In a bid to stop the prolific drug trade in the area, Police Regional Director Leopoldo Bataoil motored to Urdaneta City on Thursday and conducted a dialogue with residents and their leaders, and warned the illegal drug traffickers in the area to finally desist to avoid long incarceration if caught.

Together with Mayor Amadeo Perez and Police Provincial Director Alan Purisima, Bataoil called on the Moro residents who made Urdaneta their home to police their own ranks.

The residents vowed to establish checkpoints themselves and to implement a strict ID system so that notorious characters will not be allowed access to their community.

Mayor Perez admitted he allowed few Moro families to stay and make a living in Urdaneta a few years ago for humanitarian reasons only to find out now that some of them are now engaged in illegal activities.

He called on the Moro communities in Urdaneta to stay away from illegal activities or he will be forced to send them away.

ROSALES NOW DRUG-FREE

Meanwhile, the police has declared the whole town of Rosales as drug-free.

This was achieved after only less than three years since Mayor Ricardo Revita took the town’s helm.

PO2 Emmanuel Adnan said that before Revita took over as town mayor, illegal drug trafficking was thriving in places like barangays Carmen, Zone 1 and Station District.

However, despite being declared drug-free, the police are continuously conducting “Pulong-pulong sa Barangay”, a regular dialogue with the people to appeal to them to stay away from illegal drugs.

Superintendent Ernesto Abuan, chief of police, is personally spearheading the dialogue, which includes an orientation on Republic Act No. 9262, or the anti-violence act against women and children.

As a result, said Adnan, more and more women of Rosales are now becoming aware of their rights and those being abused by their cruel husbands are now filing cases

Abuan is also spearheading his 39 policemen in moral recovery symposiums with the help of Pastor Peter Maala of the Evangelical Church.-LM/RV

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