PRO-4A cops top drug busters
THE Police Regional Office (PRO)-4A, also known as Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon (Calabarzon), has emerged as the top performer in the campaign against illegal drug trafficking and abuse ordered by Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Rommel Francisco D. Marbil during the first six months of the year.
The PRO-4A record drug haul came in the wake of Gen. Marbil’s order for all police regional offices to intensify their crackdown against private armed groups (PAGs) as well as illegal drugs and firearms as part of their preparations for the 2025 midterm elections.
The top cop emphasized the importance of targeting illegal firearms, drugs and PAGs that could disrupt the elections.
Records showed that from January to June 2024, the PRO-4A headed by Brigadier Gen. Paul Kenneth T. Lucas has already seized around P9.8 billion worth of prohibited drugs, including the 1.4 tons of shabu worth P9.68 billion which were intercepted by policemen manning a checkpoint in Alitagtag, Batangas last April 15.
During the same period, PRO-4A policemen also arrested a total of 6,269 drug offenders as a result of 4,866 anti-narcotics operations.
All apprehended lawbreakers have been charged for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
The period saw the PRO-4A confiscating 1,442,568.49 grams of shabu and 21,794.90 grams of marijuana, with an estimated Dangerous Drugs Board value of P9,813,102,504.
The Cavite Police Provincial Office (PPO) under Colonel Eleuterio M. Ricardo Jr. conducted the most anti-drug operations with 1,509 leading to the arrest of 1,998 drug targets.
Next came the Laguna PPO under Col Gauvin Mel Y. Unos that conducted 1,253 operations that netted 1,549 suspects; the Batangas PPO now under Col. Jacinto R. Malinao Jr. with 846 operations and 962 arrests and the Rizal PPO headed by Col. Felipe B. Maraggun with 728 anti-narcotics operations that resulted in the jailing of 1,124 targets.
The Quezon PPO headed by Col. Ledon D. Monte conducted 530 anti-narcotics operations which led to the arrest of 646 suspects during the period.
The Batangas police force confiscated a total of P9,698,645,537 worth of illegal drugs during the period.
It was followed by the Cavite police force which seized shabu and marijuana worth P39,873,859; the Rizal PPO with P37,237,040 worth of illegal drugs; the Laguna PPO with P21,283,198; and the Quezon police with P16,062,868 worth of prohibited drugs.
Brig. Gen. Lucas credited their success in the campaign against illegal drugs to the commitment of his officers and men to address the problem and the unwavering support of Calabarzon residents to combat the proliferation of prohibited substances in the region.
