COCAINE. Newly-installed Chief Philippine National Police Director General Oscar Albayalde inspects the 28 packs of cocaine recovered by Quezon fishermen off the waters of Camarines Nortel last April 15 during a media presentation at Camp Gen. Vicente Lim, Mayapa, Calamba City Tuesday (April 24, 2018). Albayalde was the speaker and guest of honor during the turnover ceremony installing Police Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar as new regional director for Police Regional Office (PRO) Calabarzon comprising the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon. (Photo by Zen Trinidad)
CAMP GEN. VICENTE LIM, Calamba City -- Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Oscar Albayalde disclosed here Tuesday that fisherfolk in Quezon province recovered several containers containing 16.5 liters of liquid white substances that could make 13 kilos of cocaine valued at PHP 130 million floating in the Ragay Gulf off Calaguas Island in Vinzons, Camarines Norte last Sunday (April 22).
Albayalde, who was the speaker and guest of honor during turn-over rites installing Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar as new Police Regional Office 4-A (Calabarzon) regional director Tuesday at this camp, presented the liquid and the 28 kilos of high grade cocaine found April 15 also by Quezon fishermen.
In a media presentation, Albayalde said fishermen from Pinagtubigan Este, Perez, Quezon found last April 15 a blue drum containing 27 packages of white substance believed to be cocaine weighing a kilo at the territorial waters off Camarines Norte.
He said that another pack weighing a kilo was recovered the following day when at first a fisherman threw the pack back into the waters because of its foul odor.
According to one of the fishermen from Quezon during the presentation, they brought the recovered items to their barangay officials who alerted the police on the items which was later confirmed by Chief Insp. Zaldy Abrera, chief, Quezon provincial crime laboratory, as cocaine and with an estimated street value of PHP 280 million.
The Chief PNP also disclosed that another group of fisherfolk from Perez, Quezon recovered also on April 22 a tracking device at the territorial waters of Vinzons, Camarines Norte which was brought by the Perez town policemen to the provincial crime laboratory for inspection/examination.
“It seems that the tracking device blinks that can be seen afar or on air, with a GPS (Global Positioning System),” the Chief PNP explained saying further that it is a high technology item that serves as locator which may be accessed with a cellular phone.
Albayalde said ‘shabu’ as the top illegal drugs circulating in the country as it is more affordable compared to cocaine.
He vowed to strengthen maritime police watch in the seawaters acknowledging that the country has a lot of open waters that offer easy access for contrabands such as cocaine and the like.
“We are, as a directive, enhancing the capability of the maritime group in coordination with the Philippine Coast Guard and the Philippine Navy, but we cannot cover all around our peninsula that is why we are thankful to our fishermen (fisherfolk) for their cooperation,” the Chief PNP said. (PNA)
