PNP chief: Big volume of shabu seized in Western Visayas shows strong people's support to police
By Tara Yap
ILOILO CITY – Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. said the big volume of shabu seized across Western Visayas is a manifestation of the strong support of the people to lawmen.
“Masigasig ang ating mga kapulisan. Pero marami din nagsusumbong sa ating kapulisan (Our cops are hardworking. But it is the report of the people to our cops),” said Acorda who was here on Monday, August 14, for the regional commemoration of the 122nd Police Service Anniversary.
PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief Police Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. (right) and Police Brig. Gen. Sidney Villaflor, Police Regional Office-6 director, during the regional commemoration of the 122nd Police Service Anniversary in Iloilo City. (Office of Mayor Ronnie Dadivas)
Acorda said that policemen from Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, and Negros Occidental as well as the highly urbanized cities of Iloilo and Bacolod have been conducting anti-drug operations without any shortcuts.
He said that this signals that locals have regained their trust toward the police by giving valuable information on drug suspects.
In the past two-and-a-half months, the Police Regional Office-6 has seized more than P82-million worth of shabu in anti-drug operations.
The latest was the 2.15 kilograms of shabu worth P14.3 million in Bacolod City.
The Iloilo City Police (ICPO) also bagged shabu worth millions of pesos for over a month.
Police Brig. Gen. Sidney Villaflor, PRO-6 director, cited other government agencies for aiding the police in the campaign against illegal drugs.
Villaflor said that the police is not the main law enforcement agency that stops the entry of illegal drugs into Western Visayas.
He said that the PNP can only conduct anti-drug operations within its jurisdiction.
“Once again, there are other government agencies that are supposed to do that job and help us,” Villaflor added.