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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Barbers backs Gonzales in bid to unravel big-time drug hauls in Pampanga

Barbers backs Gonzales in bid to unravel big-time drug hauls in Pampanga

Published Oct 2, 2023 07:10 am

At A Glance

  • The Committee on Dangerous Drugs chairman has vowed to join House Senior Deputy Speaker and Pampanga 3rd district Rep. Aurelio "Dong" Gonzales Jr.'s quest to get to the bottom of the recent big-time illegal drug confiscations in the province. 

20231002_140524.jpgSurigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers (left), Pampanga 3rd district Rep. Aurelio "Dong" Gonzales Jr. (MANILA BULLETIN, PPAB)

The Committee on Dangerous Drugs chairman has vowed to join House Senior Deputy Speaker and Pampanga 3rd district Rep. Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr.'s quest to get to the bottom of the recent big-time illegal drug confiscations in the province.

Gonzales said he received this commitment from Surgao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers last Sept. 29.

Barbers has been the dangerous drugs panel chairman in the House since the 17th Congress.

"Tinawagan ko po last Friday sabi niya, ‘Dong, mag-author din ako diyan. Magsama tayo diyan.’ So yun ang sinabi niya sa akin (I called him up last Friday, and he said, 'Dong, I'll be your co-author.' That's what the told me)," Gonzales told House reporters after the flag-raising ceremony Monday, Oct. 2

It was also last Friday when Gonzales first bared plans of filing a resolution for the purpose of holding a House investigation to find out where the contraband has been coming from.

The House leader said he wants to "nip the problem in the bud".

On Sept. 28, authorities announced that they seized 530 kilos of "shabu"--also known as poor man's cocaine--in a warehouse in Mexico town, Pampanga.

Late last month, police reportedly recovered 200 kilos of shabu in a vehicle abandoned in the parking lot of a supermarket in Barangay Mabiga, City of Mabalacat, also in Pampanga.

“We are saddened and alarmed by this turn of events in our beloved province, one of the growth centers in Central Luzon. Pampanga is not known as the home ground of drug traffickers, but the latest drug confiscations are giving it a bad image," Gonzales said.

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aurelio dong Gonzales jr. Robert Ace Barbers
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