WAR ON DRUGS SCOREBOARD

THE Pangasinan Police is now focusing its time, energy and resources on 93 barangays in the province that remain still affected by illegal drugs as of August 15 this year.

P/Chief Inspector Norman Florentino, chief of the Police Community Relations branch of the Pangasinan Police Provincial Office (PPPO), revealed that clearing operations are now proceeding in earnest in the 93 villages in a bid to make Pangasinan drug-free by December this year.

There are 1,364 barangays all over the province but 83 were already considered not affected by illegal drugs.

Florentino said from a total of 1,271 drug-affected barangays, 1,178 barangays were already cleared.

But so far, only the town of Dasol became only the fourth town in Pangasinan declared by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) as cleared of illegal drugs. The three others are Laoac, Agno and Alaminos City.

Meanwhile, there are 17 more towns in Pangasinan recommended by the Pangasinan Police to the PDEA to be declared drug-free and the results of the validation are expected this week.

A consolidated report on Project Double Barrel in Pangasinan from July 1, 2016 to August 15, 2017 showed there were 1,607 persons who were arrested by the police in connection with illegal drugs.

Of the number, 1,453 (or 90%) were pushers and 264 were users.

Seized from the suspects were 702.662 grams of shabu and 653.88 grams of marijuana.

The suspects were arrested in 1,607 operations conducted by the police, 444 (or 27%) through serving of search warrants, 479 (30%), through buy-bust operations, 49 through warrants of arrest, 43 through Operation Sita, 83 through police response and 11 through checkpoint operations.

In those operations, 42 drug suspects were killed mostly in buy-bust operations and the serving of search warrants.

One policeman was shot and killed in one encounter.

All the suspects have been charged for violations of Republic Act 9165 as amended and the graver crime of selling as well as possession of illegal drugs which is not bailable. (Leonardo Micua)

PNP intensifies campaign against loose firearms

THE PNP Regional Office 1 has ordered the provincial directors of the four provinces in the region to intensify their campaign against loose firearms.

In an interview with P/ Chief Superintendent Charlo Collado, regional director, he said the provincial directors of Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte must intensify the campaign against loose firearms in order to effectively maintain peace and order in the region.

While Collado maintains that the region remains generally peaceful, he said, they have to recover as many of the illegal firearms in the hands of crime syndicates and private armed groups to check killings in the streets by hitmen riding in tandem.

Collaborating with the PNP in the campaign is the National Bureau of Investigation through the implementation of search warrants and focused police operation or ‘Oplan Kontra Boga’.

In Pangasinan, the Police Provincial Office’s records show that 159 loose firearms have been confiscated for the period April-July.

P/ Chief Inspector Norman Florentino, information officer Pangasinan Police, said, from August 1 to 7 there were seven shooting incidents recorded: 2 in Urdaneta City, 1 each in Mangatarem, Villasis, Umingan and Binmaley while no shooting incident was recorded from August 8 to August 17.

PRO1 recently received the Gold Eagle Award in Camp Crame for being adjudged the ‘Best Police Regional Office’. (Nora Dominguez)

Rehabilitation of 76 Dagupan drug users ongoing

THERE are 76 self-confessed drug users from Barangay Lucao now undergoing rehabilitation under the Masa Masid (Mamamayan Ayaw sa Anomalya, Mamamayan Away sa Droga) program in Dagupan City.

Rhoderick Dawis, city director of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), said Barangay Lucao, headed by Barangay Chairman Lino Fernandez, is the pilot area for the Masa Masid Program in the city.

Dawis said the drug users initially took drug tests at the Dagupan Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation Center (DDTRC) in Barangay Bonuan Binloc to determine their degree of affectation.

The tests showed 27 were found to be at high risk or in severe degree of affectation, 43 moderately affected and six in low level of drug addiction.

The 27 are now undergoing six-month treatment as in-patients of DDTRC while the 43 who are moderately affected are presently undergoing 18-week treatment at DDTRC as out-patients while the six others are now attending community-based rehabilitation by attending weekly sessions conducted by trainors from the religious sector.

He said other drug users in Barangays Pogo Chico, Malued, Pogo Grande, Lasip Grande, Lasip Chico, Pantal and Tebeng were also made to undergo drug testing at DDTRC.

He said drug users who finished their rehabilitation will report to their barangay chairman, and will be monitored closely by the police.

The names of those found to have maintained good behavior will be removed from the drug watch list of the police.

Dagupan has a total of 1,200 drug personalities who surrendered.

Dawis said his office has until November this year to finish the Masa Masid program in Dagupan. (Leonardo Micua)

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