By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan
MANILA – More than 4,000 drug suspects were arrested and PHP245 million worth of illegal drugs were confiscated for the month of September, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Thursday.
As part of the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to intensify law enforcement operations in its campaign against criminality and illegal drugs, the PNP conducted a total of 4,624 anti-drug operations nationwide in the past month that led to the arrest of 4,246 drug personalities and the neutralization of two others.
The confiscated items included 31,416.64 grams of shabu, 15,676.42 grams of dried marijuana leaves, 121,740 pieces of marijuana plants, 40.02 grams of ecstasy, and 3,448.98 grams of kush marijuana worth PHP245.1 million
The PNP also arrested 7,660 individuals with standing warrants of arrest during the same period. This figure includes 2,032 most wanted persons and 5,628 other wanted persons.
“These accomplishments highlight our men and women’s tireless efforts to keep our communities safe. Every arrest, every seizure, is a strong message to criminals and drug syndicates that the law will always prevail. We will continue to act decisively in line with the President’s guidance,” PNP acting chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said in a statement.
PNP spokesperson and Information chief Brig. Gen. Randulf Tuaño assured the public that it will sustain the momentum of its operations, even as he emphasized the importance of public support.
“The success of our campaign is not only because of the dedication of our police officers but also due to the trust and cooperation of the Filipino people. Together, we are making our fight against criminality and illegal drugs stronger and more effective,” said Tuaño.
In Metro Manila, a total of 1,276 drug suspects, including both high-value targets and street-level pushers, were arrested and seized around P40 million worth of illegal drugs during the National Capital Region Police Office’s (NCRPO) month-long operations from Aug. 26 to Sept. 26.
NCRPO director Maj. Gen. Anthony Aberin said a total of 503 most wanted persons were also arrested along with 884 other individuals who are the subject of various arrest warrants.
A total of 1,507 gambling suspects and 195 loose firearm suspects were also nabbed during the same period.
Arrested local ordinance violators, meanwhile, numbered to 261,654. Offenses included drinking and smoking in public places, roaming without shirts, public urination, and curfew violations by minors. (PNA)
