Anti-drug ops net 530 suspects, 19 dead: PRO-11

DAVAO CITY – A total of 530 drug suspects have been arrested while 19 died in anti-illegal drug operations conducted by the different police units under the Police Regional Office-11 (PRO-11) in the first quarter of the year.

A consolidated report from PRO-11 dated January to March 15 showed that the 19 drug suspects died when they engaged authorities in 16 anti-illegal drugs operations under the Oplan Double Barrel Reloaded.

Police Brig General Marcelo Morales, PRO-11 director, said police units in the region have been directed to observe maximum tolerance but bloody encounters cannot be avoided when suspects threaten the lives and limbs of law enforcers.

“I do not want to risk the lives of my working policemen in exchange for a deadly armed criminal who does not value their life. So, if the circumstance requires them to retaliate, especially if their life is in imminent danger, then I told my men to do what you are supposed to do,” Morales said.

During the period, PRO-11 said anti-drug operations around the region resulted in the confiscation of a total of 603.3 grams of shabu and 354.92 grams of marijuana with an estimated total market value of PHP 6,047,196.

The first quarter illegal drug haul includes the 339 packs of cocaine on the shoreline of Caraga town, Davao Oriental last month.

Included among the high-profile arrests is suspect Jovelyn Urot Saballa, 22, who was caught in front of the Davao City Jail with more or less PHP1.5 million worth of shabu.

Saballa’s arrest paved way to the "Durian Wall" operation on February 23 inside the Davao City Jail in Brgy. Ma-a, resulting in the death of four of the inmates and the discovery of drugs and other paraphernalia.

Even politicians were not spared by PRO-11 operations, Morales said.

On March 6, a municipal councilor of Manay, Davao Oriental, was arrested after yielding several sachets of suspected shabu, firearms and explosives.

“We will comply with the mandate of our President Duterte to eradicate the proliferation of illegal drugs. If with that, we will snag those on the government post, then we will do it including our brothers-at arms, our fellow police officers,” Morales said. (PNA)