CEBU CITY—An eventful six months.
Police Brig. Gen. Albert Ignatius Ferro had this to say to describe his first six months as chief of the Police Regional Office Central Visayas (PRO-7).
Marking his sixth month as PRO-7 chief last August 7, Ferro said the massive seizure of illegal drugs was one of the major accomplishments in the early stage of his leadership.
Since Ferro took over, the PRO-7 has seized at least 56 kilos of shabu with an estimated value of P380,826,656, while at least a ton of marijuana plants worth P128 million was also uprooted.
With Ferro at the helm, police in Central Visayas conducted 2,642 anti-illegal drug operations that led to the arrest of 3,978 drug personalities.
Among those arrested were 319 high-value targets, 2,678 drug pushers and 1,300 users.
At least 14 persons were killed in those police operations.
Ferro likewise noted that under his leadership, the PRO 7 was able to neutralize big-time illegal drug groups such as the Talisay City-based Luage, Obrero, Managna and Vinculado drug groups that had links with the self-confessed Cebuano drug lord Franz Sabalones.
Due to the intensified anti-criminality campaign, the eight focus crimes in the region dropped to at least 60 percent in the past six months, Ferro said.
The PRO 7 likewise seized more than 400 loose firearms in 347 operations.
Police also arrested 1,556 wanted persons, 51 of them were considered most wanted persons.
Also during the six-month period, 15 members of the community terrorist groups and supporters were arrested in Negros Oriental.
Ferro said the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic made it more challenging for him to lead the Region 7 police force.
“For the past six months, it has been a roller coaster ride for me. I inherited the big problem of COVID-19 in Central Visayas but even with those challenges, we became vigilant and became victorious in so many ways,” said Ferro.
Ferro said at least 500 policemen were infected with the virus but most of them were able to recover by putting up the “Makatao, Malasakit Recovery Center” with the help of the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas.
It was also during the pandemic that the Ferro-led PRO 7 was able to help the less-fortunate ones by distributing relief goods.
Personnel of PRO 7 also shelled out personal money in building a house for seven abandoned siblings in Asturias town, southern Cebu.