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[av_heading heading=’Shabu supply down 70% in WV – PDEA ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
BY RUBY P. SILUBRICO
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ILOILO City – The supply of shabu in Western Visayas dropped by 70 percent, according to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
The death of two drug lords – Richard Prevendido in September 2017 and Melvin Odicta Sr. in August 2016 – was a big factor, said Atty. Wardley Getalla, PDEA Region 6 director.
He, however, said the people of Prevendido and Odicta appeared to have regrouped.
The Prevendido and Odicta drug groups have “new faces” that the police and PDEA are not familiar with so going after them is a challenge, said Getalla.
PDEA-6 remains the lead law enforcement agency in the campaign against illegal drugs in Western Visayas although this time, it is being ably helped by the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6).
Getalla said PDEA-6 and the PRO-6 will be updating their drug watch lists.
Proof of the decline in the supply of shabu is the increase in its price, according to the director.
A gram of shabu used to cost P7,000; now it is P11,000, revealed Getalla.
Prevendido was killed in a shootout with policemen in Barangay Balabago, Jaro district here last Sept. 1, 2017.
Odicta, on the other hand, was shot to death by still unidentified assassins at the jetty port in Barangay Caticlan, Malay, Aklan in Aug. 29, 2016.
PDEA and the PRO-6 are currently hunting for the suspected leader of the Bolivar group, Ernesto Bolivar.
Getalla said the Bolivar group supplies shabu in Capiz and northern Iloilo province.
According to Senior Superintendent Marlon Tayaba, director of the Iloilo Police Provincial Office, Bolivar of Pototan town has been recruiting new personalities to work for him and these people are unfamiliar to the police.
“Bolivar remains active in illegal drug trading. He has lots of down lines but some were arrested so he is using new personalities. We have some names of his new men,” said Tayaba.
Bolivar, a 41-year-old resident of Barangay Guinacas, Pototan, was charged in Criminal Case No. 17-8454 for violation of Section 5, Article II of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Bolivar was very mobile so policemen were having a hard time tracking him down, said Tayaba.
He was subjected to a buy-bust operation at his house in Barangay Guinacas on Nov. 9, 2016. He managed to flee but operatives of PDEA and PRO-6’s Regional Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group Focus Team 6, and Pototan police recovered a large plastic sachet of shabu.
“Palipat-lipat siya. Masyadong mobile. We are appealing to the public to inform us if ever makita nila. Malaki ang role ng community sa paghabol natin kay Bolivar,” said Tayaba./PN
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