DISCOVERY OF P2.5-B WORTH OF SHABU

THE police and the barangays should work more closely to prevent another operation of the P2.5 billion worth of shabu weighing 360 kilograms being distributed by a drug  syndicate in Pangasinan.

The raid and seizure in Pozorrubio was a lesson learned, said P/Colonel Jeff Fanged, newly designated officer in-charge at the Pangasinan Police Provincial Office, when he appeared before the Question Hour during a special session on Thursday (September 1) of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP).

Col. Fanged was not the OIC Police Provincial Director of Pangasinan when agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) raided a house located in a subdivision in Barangay Balding, Pozorrubio  that seized 360 kilos of shabu valued at P2.5 billion, the biggest drug bust ever in Pangasinan and Region 1.

The provincial director at that time was P/Colonel Richmond Tadena, whom Fanged replaced just to two weeks ago.

Asked by Fourth District Board Member Jerry Agerico Rosario whether he considers the discovery of shabu operation in Pozorrubio a case of failed intelligence work on the part of the past police provincial director, Fanged demurred and replied “I am not privy as to what the past provincial director did”.

But Fanged conveyed the advice of P/Brigadier General Belli Tamayo, police regional director, echoing the statement of PNP chief General Rodolfo Azurin Jr. – Police and barangays must work hand in hand always to prevent such as situation.

Aware that the PNP lacks personnel and needs the support of barangay officials and other police multipliers, he said he has since fielded policemen to the barangays to work with their officials.

Fang said policemen are encouraging barangay folks to trust them with information know about suspicious-looking persons that have since appeared in their communities.

On the successful PDEA operation in Pozorrubio, Col. Fanged commended the PDEA for its accomplishment because the seizure of the big volume of illegal drugs prevented it from being downloaded to other drug syndicates.

Four persons, one of them a Chinese national temporarily residing in Agoo, La Union were arrested and charged for violation of Republic Act No. 9165 before the Regional Trial Court I Urdaneta City.

The suspects admitted to reporters that the packaged illegal drugs were being distributed to other regions in Luzon especially to the National Capital Region and transported by a tactic called “dead drop” – leaving second hand vehicles loaded with packs of shabu hidden under packages of Chinese tea brand, in an area to be picked up by their customers.  (Leonardo Micua)

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