PALO, Leyte- A total of 30,161 drug users and pushers have surrendered across the region since the start of the massive anti-drug campaign of the government.
Records from the regional Philippine National Police (PNP), disclosed that since July 1 up to December 31, 2016, 27,493 drug users and 2,668 drug pushers voluntarily surrendered before the police authorities which is implementing the “Oplan Tokhang,” an anti-illegal drive campaign of the government under President Rodrigo Duterte.
The records also showed that 21,726 houses across the region were visited by the police authorities who conducted the operation seeking for alleged drug users and pushers to surrender.
Covering the same period, the police conducted 587 operations against illegal drug personalities resulting to the death of 46 drug personalities and the arrest of 690 others.
A total of 16, 906.25 grams of shabu and 306.1 grams of marijuana with an estimate value of P135.2 million were confiscated in the course of the anti-illegal drug operations.
The PRNP-8 also disclosed that of the 186 listed as high value targets, 62 of them have surrendered, 54 were arrested, 12 were killed during the police operations.
Three killings were considered as “death under investigation” or no known suspects while 55 high value targets were under surveillance and subject for police operation.
Among those arrested were a police, soldier and an agent from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency; four former police personnel and four government employees.
“We are very serious on this campaign. When we say we mean business, once they go back to their old habit, they will be subjected to police operation. They were given a chance but if they engage again to illegal drug trade, they will be subjected to police operation because they are closely monitored,” Chief Inspector Bella Rentuaya, police regional information, said, referring to those who surrendered under “Oplan Tokhang” but still chose to continue to use or push illegal drugs. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)
