55 drug
personalities neutralized

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency claimed to have neutralized the drug peddling activities of 55 drug personalities, and the operations of three local drug groups in Western Visayas last year, in its year-end report.

Supt. Rolen Balquin, PDEA regional director, said the 55 drug peddlers were included in the list of 391 identified drug personalities operating in Region 6, of which 137 are operating in Negros Occidental, including Bacolod City.

He identified the three local drug groups already neutralized as the Prevendido, Gleyo and Cuadra groups. Of the six local drug groups operating in the region, three are located in Iloilo, one each in provinces of Negros Occidental and Capiz, as well as one in Bacolod City, PDEA records show.

In the same period, 569 grams of shabu and 41 kilos of dried marijuana leaves, estimated to have a market value of P7 million, and nine firearms, were also confiscated in joint operations of the PDEA and police.

While there are still more than 3,000 drug related cases still pending in various courts, the PDEA reported to have recorded 27 cases of conviction, 19 cases were dismissed, four with provisional dismissal while 18 others were acquittal.

On their drug demand reduction drive, Balquin said they have also conducted four campus tours, involving 4,572 participants.

PDEA records also showed that shabu continued to be smuggled into the region through air, sea and land transportation from Manila, Cebu, Dumaguete, Cagayan de Oro, Masbate and Zamboanga City with 14 possible points of entry, including the cities of Bacolod, Escalante and San Carlos. Balquin also reported that the price of shabu is P5,000 per gram, and P100 per gram for dried marijuana leaves.

Among the problems enumerated PDEA Region 6 in their anti-drug operations, are lack of firearms, communication and surveillance equipments, and the non-availability of forensic chemist to conduct drug testing on arrested drug suspects and examine the confiscated drugs.*GPB

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Suspect in hold up
of taxi driver nabbed

The Bacolod police arrested the suspect in the hold-up of a taxi driver in Brgy. 17, Bacolod City at about 11 p.m. Sunday.

Arrested was Joemarie Tumapa Udani, of Inapoy, Mabinay, Negros Oriental who attempted to escape, using the taxi of complainant Rodello Diong Mahinay, of legal age, of Purok Cubay, Brgy. Mandalagan, Bacolod City, police reports said.

Mahinay told the police that Udani flagged him down at Burgos-Lacson streets and ordered to be brought him to Eroreco Subdivision, in Brgy. Mandalagan. On their way, Udani said he had given a wrong address and instead asked to be taken to Cometa Street in Brgy. 17, police reports said. Mahinay said that when they reached Brgy. 17, Udani drew a knife and declared a hold-up. The suspect divested him of his P1,700 collection and used his taxi as a get-away vehicle, Mahinay told the police.

He said he flagged down a tricycle and sought assistance from Terrano Patrol 106, that was conducting a visibility patrol in the area.

The CMG led by PO3 Wilbur Fellera chased the taxi, and arrested Udani who was spotted at Gatuslao Street at the downtown area of Bacolod, police reports said.

Recovered from him were Mahinay's taxi, P517 in different denominations and a 12-inch stainless knife, police reports also said.*DMG

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