BACOLOD City – Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran is challenging authorities here to substantially eradicate the drug menace and ensnare major drug groups in this city.
Familiaran’s call came after Lieutenant Colonel Jovie Espenido, deputy director for operations of the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO), branded this capital city as “shabulized.”
“There’s really a big problem that needs to be addressed. It’s now a big challenge on their part as law enforcers to prevent and stop the entry of illegal drugs in our city and likewise apprehend and neutralize those responsible for the proliferation of illegal drugs,” said Familiaran.
He however lamented Espenido’s pronouncement saying: “Ang word nga shabulized medyo ang connotation tama gid bala ka negative or daw ka worst gid bala.”
On Wednesday, Espenido held a press briefing at the BCPO headquarters here after he came from a vacation abroad for almost two months.
He labeled Bacolod as “shabulized” as to emphasize his assessment that the city has a “big” drug problem.
Espenido also said that illegal drugs still exists despite the police’s intensive drug war, citing the big volume of drug recovery by the police and the arrest of some drug personalities.
Based on the records of the BCPO in 2019, the city police force has seized over P73 million worth of illegal drugs from Jan. to December.
Of the total figure, P72,996,312 worth of 6,083 grams of shabu and P35,147 worth of 152 grams of marijuana were confiscated last year.
Panay News tried to reach Mayor Evelio Leonardia for comment but he has to yet give his statement as of this writing./PN