THE Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo) recently hailed for yielding “zero casualty” in random drug test conducted among its 832 personnel, has scored another milestone.
This time, by making the most number of arrests among drug personalities in the region that saw Police Regional Office (PRO)-Northern Mindanao netting some P9.5 million worth of confiscated methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu - roughly 4.7 kilograms - as its contribution to the government’s war on drugs in the first quarter alone of the year.
Acting City Police Director Robert Roy Bahian said he did not see yet the data.
“Pero kong kami ang nanguna sa accomplishments amo kanang ikalipay. Dakong tabang pud kini para mahimong drug-free ang Cagayan de Oro uban sa pagtinabangay sa katawhan, local nga opisyales (But if we were the top in the accomplishments then we’re happy. It’s a huge help in making Cagayan de Oro drug-free with the help of the public, local officials), the media and other law enforcement agencies,” said Bahian when asked to comment by this reporter.
According to the data released by PRO-Northern Mindanao on Monday, April 17, from January 1 to March 31, police seized a total of 1.8 kilograms of shabu and 2.9 kilograms of marijuana.
Records have it that Northern Mindanao police has conducted 608 illegal drugs operations where 192 have been carried out by Cocpo, 105 by Iligan City Police Office (ICPO) and 103 by Bukidnon Provincial Police Office.
PRO-Northern Mindanao also reported 94 operations by Lanao del Norte Provincial Police Office (LDNPPO), 77 by Misamis Oriental Provincial Police Office (MisOr PPO), 51 by Misamis Occidental Provincial Police Office (MisOcc PPO), and six by Camiguin Provincial Police Office (CPPO).
In various drug raids, 887 drug personalities have been arrested where 292 fell in the hands of Cocpo authorities; ICPO’s 148, Bukpo’s 143, LDNPPO’s 141, MisOr PPO’s 86, MisOcc PPO’s 71 and CPPO’s measly total of six arrests.
Police said a total of 931 cases have been filed in court against the arrested drugs suspects.
The police visits 8,499 new households and revisited over 64,000 in the first three months of 2017 under the Duterte administration’s anti-illegal drug campaign.
The said visitation of different police stations yielded about 88 self-confessed drug users and eight drug pushers who all surrendered voluntarily.
Chief Superintendent Agripino Javier, regional police director for Northern Mindanao, expressed his commendation to all police units and offices for the efforts in the war on drugs.
He encouraged them to achieve the objective of clearing all drug-affected villages in Northern Mindanao by arresting top drug personalities and dismantling drug syndicates in the region.
Javier also thanked local government units for initiating community- based rehabilitation program and the communities for the unwavering support by tipping information on illegal drug trade activities.
