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[av_heading heading=’High-value drug target left Iloilo – IPPO intel’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
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ILOILO – The police is running after the last remaining high-value drug target in the province: the suspected leader of the Balume group.
Arturo Balume is a resident of Sara town in the 5th District. But catching him might prove a challenge; he is no longer in Iloilo.
He is in Mindanao, Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) spokesperson Chief Inspector Aron Palomo said, citing latest intelligence information.
“We still aim to apprehend him,” Palomo told the press during an Iloilo Peace and Order Council meeting at the provincial capitol.
Two other drug organizations in Iloilo are classified high-value targets: the Prion and the Bolivar groups.
But the IPPO managed to neutralize the latter two groups when the Philippine National Police launched aggressive antidrug operations after Rodrigo Duterte, who promised to rid the country of drugs, assumed the presidency in July.
The Prion group used to operate in the 3rd and 4th districts, while the Bolivar group did its business in the 3rd District.
The Balume group, on the other hand, held sway in the 5th District.
“We have no more high-value targets (HVTs) present in Iloilo,” Palomo said. “What remain are low-value targets (LVTs).”
Among 21 HVTs (Levels 1 to 3) in the province, 15 surrendered while five were arrested, an IPPO report showed.
Twelve Level 2 HVTs surrendered and five were arrested, while the lone Level 1 HVT surrendered, police said.
Meanwhile the IPPO is down to 10 remaining LVTs.
The provincial police had 495 LVTs (327 suspected pushers and 168 alleged users), 390 of whom surrendered, while 95 were arrested.
Under Oplan Double Barrel, 7,018 drug personalities — 6,422 alleged users and 596 suspected pushers — surrendered to the IPPO./PN
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