CEBU CITY – The “misencounter” between the police and anti-narcotics agents in Quezon City will not happen here.
This was the assurance given by the top officials of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Central Visayas (PDEA Region 7) and the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) as they cited the close coordination among the two units.
PDEA 7 Regional Director Levi Ortiz said the PDEA 7 makes it a point that there is proper coordination with police in the conduct of anti-illegal drug operations.
“I am sure that such incident will not happen here because we have a good partnership with the police. We have close coordination and communication with the police in all of our undertakings,” said Ortiz.
Ortiz refused to give his opinion on what really happened in Quezon City, saying PDEA Director General Wilkins Villanueva will be the one to clear the issue. Ortiz said the misencounter will not affect the relationship of the PDEA 7 and the police.
Police Col. Josefino Ligan, chief of CCPO, described the Quezon City incident as an isolated case. Ligan said police stations in the city observe close coordination with the PDEA 7 for any planned anti-drug operation.
“Before we conduct anti-illegal drug operation, we coordinate with PDEA to prevent misencounter. That’s the primary objective of coordination,” Ligan said.