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[av_heading heading=’PRO-6 nets 18,934 drug personalities in 5 months ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY RUBY P. SILUBRICO
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ILOILO City – Drug suspects arrested or surrendered across Region 6 reached 18,934 already since the Philippine National Police started its antidrug campaign Oplan Double Barrel in July this year.
Of these, 17,573 were drug users and 1,361 were drug pushers.
Sixteen drug personalities were killed in police operations including businessman Melvin Odicta Sr. and wife Meriam who were shot dead on Aug. 29 in Malay, Aklan.
Of the 1,262 persons who surrendered, the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) had the highest at 420. Iloilo province had 320; Capiz, 240; Aklan, 136; Antique, 117; and Guimaras, 29.
Chief Superintendent Jose Gentiles, regional police director, hopes more would surrender.
“Perhaps by the end of 2016 aabot ‘yan ng 20,000. We are encouraging drug personalities to surrender and municipal police stations are conducting operations against those who refuse to surrender. Hindi tayo hihinto,” Gentiles said.
He also said suspected drug lord Richard Prevendido of Barangay Bakhaw, Mandurriao district is a major target.
“We have focus teams in the region working hard for the arrest of Prevendido. Hopefully we would catch him before 2016 ends,” said Gentiles.
Last week, two high-value-targets were gunned down in a sting operation in Antique – Enecito Escaner of Barangay Sinaja, Belison, Antique, a guard of Antique Provincial Capitol; and companion Robert Magbanua, a former Antique provincial jail guard and village councilman of Caridad, Hamtic Antique.
Escaner and Magbanua were the 15th and 16th drug personalities killed in police antidrug operations in Western Visayas since July 1, 2016./PN
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