Davao cops nab 1,661 for illegal drugs in less than 3 years

DAVAO CITY -- A total of 1,661 persons have been arrested by the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) during anti-illegal drug operations since December 5, 2017 to June 30 this year.

Capt. Maria Theresita Gaspan, DCPO spokesperson, said the arrests were done through buy-bust operations, implementation of search and arrest warrants, police response operations, and checkpoints.

Gaspan said some of the arrested individuals were already on drug watch list while others are newly-identified suspects.

Others, she said, had been arrested during the height of the Oplan TokHang in 2016 but returned to their illegal drug activities.

Some of the arrested suspects, she added, even enrolled in the government's community-based rehabilitation program but still went back to selling illegal drugs.

Meanwhile, Connie Dumag of the City Anti- Drug Abuse Council (CADAC) said the less than three years of anti-drug operations in the city have been largely successful, noting that about 1,500 former drug personalities have completed the first phase of rehabilitation.

"We also have another batch that has finished the second phase although the figure is small compared to the number of surrenderers. We are looking at the quality of life they have, " Dumag said, adding each phase of the program lasts for six months.

The city's community-based rehabilitation program has 170 participating barangays, consisting of 4,000 enrollees, she said.

At least 25 barangays, she said, have remained inactive in terms of implementing the government's grassroots drug rehabilitation campaign. (PNA)