Brig. Gen. Alfred Corpus, director of the Police Regional Office-12. (File photo courtesy of the PRO-12)
GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- At least 54 wanted persons and suspected criminals were arrested in parts of Region 12 (Soccsksargen) on Monday in the second wave of the “one time, big time” law enforcement operations launched by local police units.
Brig. Gen. Alfred Corpus, director of the Police Regional Office (PRO)-12, said in a report on Tuesday that the suspects were nabbed during the simultaneous implementation of search warrants, warrants of arrest, and buy-bust operations.
Corpus said the operations resulted in the recovery of 17 assorted firearms, including several high-powered units, four hand grenades, 186 assorted ammunition, 178 sachets of suspected shabu and a still undetermined volume of dried marijuana leaves.
He said the recovered pieces of evidence have been submitted to the regional crime laboratory for proper examination and valuation.
Corpus said the operations were led by elements from the city and provincial police offices, regional intelligence division, regional mobile force battalion, Criminal Investigation and Detention Group-12, Highway Patrol Group-12 and the Special Action Force.
They were backed by personnel from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-12 and the Army’s 19th, 72nd and 39th Infantry Battalions.
Corpus said the second “one time, big time” operation was a follow-up to the crackdown that they launched on November 12. At least 35 wanted persons and alleged drug personalities were arrested while 41 assorted firearms, 372 rounds of ammunition and 74 packs of illegal drugs worth P500,000 were seized during last month's operations.
Corpus said they have lined up more major operations in the coming months to “further improve the peace and order situation” in Soccsksargen.
“The first one time, big time last November was just the jumpstart. We will not stop until we rid our streets and communities of criminal elements,” he said. (PNA)
