POLICE presence in the streets will be enhanced to boost the government’s recalibrated campaign against illegal drugs, the PNP said yesterday.
PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo said the enhanced police presence is in line with the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for the agency to focus on street-level pushers and users.
“Based on our operational strategy, there will be maximum police visibility in the streets because that is what the President wants,” Fajardo told an interview with radio dzBB.
“If would-be criminals see policemen in the streets, they would have second thoughts on selling shabu. This (increased police visibility) will be made not only during the day but even at night,” said Fajardo, adding the PNP will also step up cooperation with the local peace and order council.
The PNP noted that P43.3 billion worth of illegal drugs were seized during the first three years of the Marcos administration, compared to just P14.3 billion during the same period of the previous administration
Fajardo said policemen will conduct patrols with “force multipliers” or barangay personnel.
She said regional and provincial mobile forces personnel from areas that were declared as having a stable peace and order situation will help in anti-drug patrols.
Fajardo said the PNP will also enhance its collaboration with anti-drug abuse councils, especially with the barangays.
“We are going to capacitate them so they can fully understand that the campaign against illegal drugs is not just a function of the law enforcement agencies. This needs the cooperation of all agencies of government, especially in the communities,” said Fajardo
Fajardo said the PNP will orient barangay, city, municipal and even provincial local government personnel on how to detect drug pushers, users and even drug laboratories.
Fajardo clarified that the PNP has not stopped operations against street-level pushers and users.
“At the start of his (Marcos) administration, he said he wanted us to go after the big drug syndicates. Now, he wants us to focus on both,” said Fajardo, referring to the drug syndicates and the street-level pushers and users.
“We did not stop our street-level operations; we have arrested many suspects. But in line with the directive of our President, we have also been giving equal attention,” said Fajardo.
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said it would heed the order of the President.
“There is wisdom behind the pronouncements of the President,” PDEA spokesman Joseph Frederick Calulut said in a separate interview with dzBB.
“We have to focus on the campaign against small-time drug peddlers. We, and the other law enforcement agencies, are going to follow (the President’s order),” added Calulut.
Police seized P278,800 worth of suspected dangerous drugs and arrested a 29-year-old man in a buy-bust operation in Antipolo City last Saturday.
Lt. Col. Ryan Manongdo, local police chief, identified the suspect as alias Noy, a resident of Barangay Santa Cruz, Antipolo City.
Seized from him were three sachets containing more or less 41 grams of suspected shabu.
The operation was conducted in Barangay Santa Cruz at around 5 p.m. – With Christian Oineza
