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Eleazar cites PNP-DEG for major role in war on drugs

September 27, 2021 Alfred P. Dalizon 539 views

PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief, General Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar yesterday cited the PNP Drug Enforcement Group (PNP-DEG) for its major contribution to the government’s war on drugs which has led to a major crime reduction in the country over the past five years.

From April 1, 2020 to last March 31 alone, the PNP-DEG now under Brigadier Gen. Remus B. Medina has accounted for around P9.3 billion worth of shabu and other illegal drugs following the conduct of 110 ‘intelligence-drive’ anti-narcotics operations.

Those operations resulted in the arrest of 147 known ‘high-value targets’ and the killing of 16 armed suspects following gunbattles with undercover officers.

Amid criticisms against the aggressive illegal drugs operations launched by President Duterte in July 2016, Gen. Eleazar said the effects of the successful illegal drugs operations are already being felt by ordinary Filipinos.

According to him, the successful anti-illegal drugs operations in the past five years already resulted in the unprecedented 64 percent reduction on crime in the country.

The PNP has always maintained that most of the crime incidents in the country are related to illegal drugs abuse, a position that was vindicated by the continuous and significant reduction of crime in the country in the last five years.

From April 1 last year to last March 31, the PNP-DEG led the police force in accounting for 1.5 tons of shabu, nearly two kilos of Ephedrine, 21,600 pieces of Nubain ampules, 3,000 pieces of the designed drug called ‘Ecstasy’ and over 100,000 pieces of fully-grown marijuana plants and seedlings as well as several kilos of dried marijuana bricks and Kush which is a high-breed of cannabis.

Over P203 million worth of shabu and marijuana were likewise seized by the PNP-DEG from September 13-19 following operations which also resulted in the arrest of 77 ‘HVTs’ and the killing of two Chinese drug traffickers.

Brig. Gen. Medina said the huge volume of prohibited drugs were accounted for during 42 major ‘intelligence-driven’ anti-narcotics operations which likewise led in the confiscation of six illegal firearms.

Medina said that of the P203 million worth of dangerous drugs they accounted for, nearly 2.5 tons of them were shabu and the rest were dried marijuana plants, seedlings, leaves and cannabis oil.

The official said that the big volume of the so-called ‘poor man’s cocaine’ were confiscated as a result of PNP-DEG operations jointly conducted with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, the National Capital Region Police Office and other PNP operating units. The PNP-DEG is also getting support from the PNP Directorate for Operations under Major Gen. Rhodel O. Sermonia.

Last September 13, there were eight operations conducted which led in the arrest of 23 suspects and the recovery of 955 grams of shabu.

Last September 14, another eight anti-narcotics operations were conducted which resulted in the arrest of 19 ‘HVT’s and he confiscation of nearly 300 grams of shabu.

On Day 3 another four operations led in the arrest of four suspect and the seizure of 60 grams of shabu and 30 grams of dried marijuana leaves.

On Day 4, there were five operations which netted seven suspects, one loose firearm and some 370 grams of shabu.

On Day 5, 10 major operations conducted by the unit led in the arrest of 15 ‘HVTs,’ one illegal firearm and over P187 million worth of shabu and marijuana.

On Day 6, four operations resulted in the arrest of five top drug targets, the killing of two, the recovery of three high-powered firearms and some P5 million worth of shabu and marijuana.

On Day 7, three separate operations yielded four suspects, an illegal firearm and 100 grams of shabu worth P680,000.

The successful PNP-DEG operations came as Gen. Eleazar said that the Duterte government’s war on drugs is continuously gaining ground with the confiscation of more than P5.5 billion worth of shabu and the neutralization of a major drug trafficking ring being run by a group of rogue Chinese nationals two weeks ago.

The top cop cited the ‘whole-of-government approach’ as key factors in the series of anti-narcotics operations in the provinces of Zambales, Bataan and Cavite which led in the killing of four armed Chinese drug smugglers and two of their Filipino distributors and the arrest of five others, three of them Chinese nationals too.

The top PNP official said those operations are expected to have a ‘very big impact’ on the illegal drug distribution system in the country.

Aside from the PNP and the PDEA headed by Director General Wilkins M. Villanueva, officers from the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency and the Bureau of Customs were also involved in the successful anti-drug operations.

Eleazar vowed to further step up the campaign against illegal drugs through strong coordination and good working relationship with other government agencies, particularly the PDEA which is the lead agency in the drug war.

“Makakaasa ang ating mga kababayan na magpapatuloy ang aming agresibong Kampanya laban sa iligal na droga dahil ang kinabukasan ng ating mga kabataan at ng ating bansa ang nakataya dito,” the PNP chief said.

The latest major intelligence-driven’ operation jointly conducted by agents of the PDEA and the PNP in Bacoor City in Cavite led in the neutralization of four ‘high-value targets’ in the country and the seizure of around 229 kilograms of shabu worth nearly P1.6 billion.

Recovered during the first operation were 181 kilograms of the so-called ‘poor man’s cocaine’ worth P1.25 billion, the buy-bust money and firearms used by the suspects in trading shots with officers.

A follow-up operation in Imus City, Cavite led in the arrest of two other suspects and the confiscation of 48 kilograms of shabu worth P331.2 million.

Four of the Chinese nationals were killed in a shootout with government agents while three were arrested. Confiscated from the suspects were a total of 580 kilograms of shabu worth P3.944 billion.

The successive anti-drug operations spearheaded by the PDEA were the biggest undertaken by the Duterte administration so far this year in line with the government’s massive war on drugs.

Gen Eleazar vowed to further step up the campaign against illegal drugs through strong coordination and good working relationship with other government agencies, particularly the PDEA which is the lead agency in the drug war.

“Makakaasa ang ating mga kababayan na magpapatuloy ang aming agresibong kampanya laban sa iligal na droga dahil ang kinabukasan ng ating mga kabataan at ng ating bansa ang nakataya dito,” the PNP chief said.

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