BY RUBY P. SILUBRICO
ILOILO — The Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) has arrested 90 drug personalities and 300 most wanted persons in five months of operations.
Records from the IPPO showed that policemen across the province staged 63 drug operations.
Seized from the 90 drug suspects were a total of 95.7467 grams of shabu with a total value of P1,385,600.
The IPPO made the highest number of arrests (27 persons) last month.
Among those arrested were high-value targets from the town of Dumangas, including the barangay captain of Calaoin, Teopisto Gomez, on May 2.
Along with him were Judy Demafilez, 35; Michael Libo, 30; and Mark Jason Diamante, 22. They were charged with conspiracy for selling illegal drugs.
The police recovered from Gomez six sachets of shabu, drug paraphernalia, P2,850 cash, an M16 rifle and a caliber .40 pistol.
Two weeks later, a couple and a relative also fell into a dragnet conducted by the police here in Brgy . PD Monfort North, Dumangas.
They were Pedro Divino, 43, his wife Florence, 33, and their relative Norman Jabatan, 25.
The police led by Senior Insp. Jonathan Pinuela recovered 25 grams of shabu worth P150,000 and cash amounting to P7,590.
Dumangas’ Mayor Rolando Distura vowed to cleanse his town of illegal drugs as he appealed to other municipal officials and barangay captains to cooperate by giving information to him or to the police.
On the other hand, IPPO director, Senior Supt. Cornerlio Salinas said his police chiefs are not only focusing on illegal drugs but also on most wanted persons, and it showed through their records with 300 wanted men nabbed in five months.
Of the fugitives arrested, 57 belonged to the “top list”, 12 surrendered and 231 had small cases in court.
“Our accomplishments are not enough, we still need to work harder and double our performance. I urged my police chiefs to aim high, focus on their work and concentrate on their job as police officers, Salinas said.
Salinas also reminded other police chiefs with low performance to double their efforts especially on illegal drugs and most wanted men. /PN
