By Hilda Austria
MALASIQUI, Pangasinan – The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Pangasinan confiscated a total of PHP17.6 million worth of shabu and marijuana and arrested 51 high-value targets (HVTs) in 2024.
Marijuana accounted for PHP10.2 million of the total while shabu comprised the rest, PDEA-Pangasinan Director Retchie Camacho said in a phone interview Friday.
Camacho said in 2023, they confiscated illegal drugs worth PHP3.5 million and arrested 54 HVTs.
On a good note, Camacho said 1,197 of 1,272 drug-affected villages in the province were given drug-cleared status last year.
Thirty-four municipalities out of 48 illegal drugs-affected municipalities and cities were also cleared.
He said six municipalities (Dasol, San Nicolas, Umingan, Manaoag, San Jacinto and San Quintin) are applying for drug-cleared status since all their villages are now drug cleared.
The remaining areas that are yet to be cleared are the towns of Binmaley, Pozzorrubio, Bani, Infanta and Sual; and the cities of Dagupan, San Carlos and Urdaneta.
Among the operations last year, the one conducted on March 26 had one of the highest yields — 19,250 fully grown marijuana plants worth PHP3.8 million in an operation in Sitio Mapita, Aguilar.
The plants were planted in a 4,000-square-meter mountainous area.
Two suspects, aged 15 and 17, were arrested, Camacho said.
On May 20, two HVTs were arrested in a buy-bust in Binmaley with more than PHP1.3 million worth of shabu.
“They have been monitored for a couple of months already. They have records for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act. They returned to their old ways after they have served (jail) time,” Camacho said. (PNA)
