ILOILO City – The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Region 6 has intensified measures to achieve its goal of a secure and drug-free Dinagyang Festival.
Authorities said the demand for illegal drugs increases during festivities like the Dinagyang due to the influx of people and visitors.
Ma. Graziella Tanaleon, spokesperson for PDEA-6, said along with other law enforcement units, they are focused on local ports that would possibly be used as passage way by drug peddlers to transport the contraband.
“Gina-intensify naton ang pagbantay sa mga puerto, airport and terminals in the region. Actually, ever since sang December gin-intensify na naton ang pag-deploy sang narco-detection units not only here sa City of Iloilo but also sa bilog nga Western Visayas,” Tanaleon said in an interview with Bombo Radyo Iloilo.
Tanaleon added that PDEA-6’s K9 units have been conducting rigorous search operations and profiling passengers.
“Ginahugot naton ang pagbantay sa aton points of entry since we all know very vast ang coastline naton sa Western Visayas. That’s why ang aton teams, K9 teams, and anti-drug enforcement officers nagapadayun sa gihapon sa pagbantay as well as sa pag-action sa gina-receive naton nga report,” she said.
PDEA-6 is again reminding the public to stop engaging in illegal drugs as authorities have already identified drug peddlers and users who are now under monitoring for possible buy-bust operations./PN
