CEBU CITY -- Operations against drugs in Cebu City have been sustained through the Cebu City Police Office’s (CCPO) “Oplan Pokemon” program.
City Police Director Senior Supt. Joel Doria on Tuesday said the CCPO has been arresting at least 70 drug personalities a week through “Oplan Pokemon”.
In fact, “Oplan Pokemon” accounts for 46 percent of the CCPO’s total accomplishment in crime prevention, Doria said.
“Oplan Pokemon”, which was initiated by Doria, is a modified one-time-big-time operation conducted simultaneously by all police stations in Cebu City every week.
Pokemon, acronym for “Pakigbatukan Og sumpoon and Krimen ug ang Epekto sa illegal nga drugas nga Makadaut Og makaguba sa Nasud” (Fight and eradicate crime and illegal drugs that are detrimental to the nation), has greatly contributed to the steep decline in crime incidences in the barangays of Cebu City.
Last week from April 2 to 8, the CCPO confiscated a total of 129.85 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride or “shabu” which has a Dangerous Drugs Board value of PHP1,532,230.
Police Station 9 seized 37.68 grams of drugs worth PHP444.624 last week, including 22.24 grams confiscated from drug suspects arrested in Barangay Guadalupe and 15.28 grams from Barangay Mambaling.
Mabolo Police Station 4, which hauled the most volume of drugs two weeks ago, recovered 36.78 grams valued at PHP434,004, while the Pardo Police Station 7 confiscated 25.16 grams worth PHP296,888.
Doria said they would continue to implement “Oplan Pokemon” and help Cebu City maintain its status as one of the safest cities in Southeast Asia.
“We will not only maintain the city’s present status but we will try to improve its No. 8 ranking. Rest assured, we will continue to make Cebu City a safe place for leisure and business,” Doria said.
In the latest survey by Numbeo, Cebu City was ranked No. 8 safest in Southeast Asia with a 55.72 percent safety rating.
Singapore emerged as the safest city in Southeast Asia with an 83.77 percent safety rate and 16.23 crime rate.
Other Philippine cities in the Top 10 are Valenzuela at No. 2 with a safety index of 74.79 percent, Davao (71.21) at fourth, Makati (60.44) at No. 5, and Baguio at sixth with 59.43.
Numbeo is an online database that provides living conditions of cities worldwide. (PNA)
Cebu file photo
