DRUG HAUL. PNP chief Gen. Archie Gamboa (center) presents a portion of a total of over PHP6 billion worth of shabu seized in police operations in a press briefing in Camp Crame on Monday (June 8, 2020). This includes the huge volume of shabu seized in a warehouse in Bulacan on June 4 and from a buy-bust operation in Parañaque City on June 6. (Contributed photo)
MANILA – The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday claimed major victories in its anti-illegal drugs campaign which resulted in the seizure of more than PHP6 billion worth of shabu from January 1 to June 4, amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
“We are presenting to you part of the 890 kilograms of crystal meth or shabu estimated to be worth more than PHP6 billion that were confiscated by the PNP Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG) in 25 separate operations conducted between January 1 and June 4, 2020, that also resulted to the arrest of 38 suspects and death of six other confirmed drug personalities,” PNP chief, Gen. Archie Gamboa said in a press conference in Camp Crame.
He also said 93 percent of the confiscated shabu since January was the result of four days of operations from June 1 to 4, particularly from the raid in a warehouse in Bulacan.
“Added to this is the operation by PDEG last Saturday in Parañaque City that resulted in the recovery of 36 kilograms of shabu amounting to PHP244.8 million,” he said.
He said the combined yield of the two recent raids alone amount to more than PHP6 billion is unprecedented in the last five years — a milestone that the PNP is proud to have achieved in the midst of challenging times.
During the 75-day enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) period, Gamboa said the aggressive anti-illegal drugs operations were carried out elsewhere across the country against marijuana farms in Cebu and Kalinga provinces where troops destroyed 9,000 fully grown marijuana plants.
“I am proud to note that the Police Regional Offices and National Operational Support Units managed to sustain anti-illegal drugs and anti-criminality operations without let-up during the entire ECQ period and vigorously pushed onwards thru the opening days of the MGCQ/GCQ (modified general community quarantine/general community quarantine) even as these units continue to follow strict public safety standards as per IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases) rules and regulations,” he said.
During the ECQ period, Gamboa said the PNP observed receding patterns of traditional crime trends that saw the crime volume dipping to unprecedented levels.
“But what is more encouraging is the continued slump in crime trends through the opening days of the MGCQ/GCQ under the new normal,” he said.
He said that it is notable that peace and order index crimes went down by 483 or 17.24 percent from 2,801 during the pre-GCQ period compared to only 2,318 incidents during GCQ.
Gamboa said the crime volume from June 1 to 5, comprises largely of non-index crimes with 1,986 incidents (85.68 percent) and index crimes with 332 incidents (14.32 percent) while crime volume generally went down in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao by 12.26 percent; 25.14 percent; and 25.23 percent, respectively.
“Overall, focus crimes went down by 86 or 20.57 percent from 418 during the last week of the ECQ period to only 332 incidents in the first working week of the MGCQ/GCQ,” Gamboa said.
Despite the decline in crime volumes, Gamboa said the PNP remains steadfast in fighting the bigger war on illegal drugs.
“We thank Presidente Rodrigo Duterte for his continued support, our partners in PDEA, the Dangerous Drugs Board — for working closely with us, and our police front-liners for their sacrifice in the fight against criminality and Covid-19,” he stressed. (PNA)
