AN ANTI-narcotics agent said on Thursday, November 24, illegal drugs regularly pass through Cagayan de Oro City, adding the city is a major transshipment point of methamphetamines and marijuana to other parts of the country.
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Northern Mindanao spokesperson Ben Kalibre said at least three routes for methamphetamine hydrochloride, locally known as “shabu,” and one route for marijuana regularly pass through the city.
The first route is from Cebu in Visayas to Surigao via sea vessels or roros, and on to Butuan and Cagayan de Oro City.
The second route is from Marawi City in Lanao del Sur through Iligan City towards the city while the third route is from the National Capital Region to here via courier.
Kalibre made the revelation in the wake of statements made by illegal drugs dealer Kerwin Espinosa at a Senate inquiry Wednesday, November 23.
Espinosa, whom President Rodrigo Duterte insisted, Thursday, is among the top drug lords operating in Visayas, said one of his top suppliers had houses in Marawi City, Iligan City, Cagayan de Oro City, Bukidnon, and Makati City.
Espinosa identified the supplier as one Lovely Adam Impal and had been transacting with Impal since 2005.
“So probably kanang gina-mean ni Kerwin nga gikan sa Marawi mao nana siya (So probably what Kerwin meant by the one who came from Marawi was her),” Kalibre said.
Kalibre said the regional office expects more cooperation and sharing of information from among the PDEA and from the Philippine National Police following Wednesday’s Senate inquiry.
Kalibre added while Impal has been in their watchlist for a year, they are still in the process of validating intelligence information.
“Kung mapinpoint na nato aha si Impal dili man nato diretso dakpon kay moagi man ta proseso kay i-establish man nato ang proof nga ga-engage gayud siya sa illegal drugs. Dili lang man nato saligan lang ang statement ni Kerwin (Even if we can pinpoint where Impal is, we still cannot directly arrest her before going through the process because we have to establish the proof that she did engage in illegal drugs. We cannot depend only on Kerwin’s statement),” Kalibre said.
But Kalibre said Impal may have already gone into hiding.
Kalibre had earlier said several arrested drug personalities have been mentioning a “Madam Lovely” as a source of illegal drugs.
“Always gayud nga mo-appear ang Madam Lovely. Kaduha ra nigawas ang Lovely Adam Impal but kami nagtuo nga usa ra na sila (The name Madam Lovely always appear. The name Lovely Adam Impal only appeared twice but we believe that they’re one and the same),” Kalibre said.
