NEARLY P3 million worth of shabu and marijuana have been seized by agents of the Misamis Oriental Police Provincial Office since July last year, the Journal Group learned.

According to Misamis Oriental PPO director, Colonel Cholijun P. Caduyac, the huge volume of prohibited drugs were confiscated as a result of 188 anti-illegal drug operations they conducted from July 2023 to date.

Those operations resulted in the arrest of 206 drug anti-narcotics targets and the seizure of nearly 409 grams of shabu and around 26 grams of dried marijuana leaves worth some P2.8 million.

Caduyac said they are further stepping-up their campaign against illegal drug trafficking in line with the directive of Police Regional Office 10 director, Brigadier General Ricardo P. Layug Jr.

Caduyac is supervising all police law enforcement operations in the province which is home to 424 barangays.

Caduyac said a total of 150 criminal charges for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 were filed against the arrested drug personalities in different courts in the province during the period in review.

On Monday last week, policemen made their latest anti-drug catch: a 25-year old ‘target-listed personality residing in Brgy. Poblacion, Laguindingan.

The official said that members of the Laguindingan Municipal Police Station, led by Major Mohammad Arthur Sakiran, with the assistance of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Region 10 office, arrested the suspect in a buy-bust past 5 p.m. Monday.

Recovered from the possession of the suspect were sachets with 12 grams of shabu worth P81,600, buy-bust money and assorted drug paraphernalia.

A 125-cc motorcycle used by the suspect to transport the drugs was impounded by the Laguindingan police.

Layug has commended the Misamis Oriental PPO for doing a fine job in the campaign against drugs and other forms of criminality.

The Misamis Oriental police has made a significant contribution to the Northern Mindanao police force’s successful anti-illegal drug campaign last year, said the official.

Layug said that from October 10, 2023 to last February 23, nearly P24 million worth of shabu were seized while 968 targets were sent to jail.

In a report to Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Benjamin C. Acorda Jr., the official said that during the period, they conducted 816 anti-narcotics operations which led in the arrest of the 968 suspects and the seizure of more than 3.4 kilos of shabu and nearly 80 grams of dried marijuana leaves worth P23.337 million.

Layug said that a total of 650 criminal charges for violation of RA 9165 have been filed against the arrested drug personalities.

Layug has consistently advocated the cause through his program thrust, ‘Serbisyong CARDO, Serbisyong may Puso,’ emphasizing the fight against all forms of criminality, particularly illegal drugs.

Layug has also assured Northern Mindanao residents of an all-out campaign against all other forms of criminality, insurgency, terrorism and other lawless activities in the region.

Crime rate in the region has significantly dropped last year to date compared to the same period in 2022.