ILOILO CITY — A total of 901 drug personalities in the police watchlist failed to surrender, according to the Police Regional Office in Western Visayas (PRO-6).
While the PRO-6 registered 100 percent compliance to “Oplan Tokhang” visits to all the houses of identified targets, only 490 drug personalities on the watchlist surrendered out of the 1,391suspects, PRO-6 Spokesperson Superintendent Joem Malong said on Friday.
Malong said most of the suspects who did not surrender are on denial and insisted that they are not involved in illegal drug activities.
“Others have fears that they might be subjected to police operations once they surrender so they did not appear at the police station,” she said.
Meantime, Malong said Regional Oversight Committee against Illegal Drugs, Illegal Gambling, and Enhanced Managing Patrol Operations has reviewed its accomplishments on illegal drugs and illegal gambling last May 16.
The meeting was led by Senior Superintendent Remus Zacharias Canieso, chief of the PRO-6 Regional Directorial Staff.
She said that the committee noted that 12 anti-illegal drugs operations were conducted in the region from May 8-14; 12 of which in Negros Occidental, three in Bacolod City and one in Iloilo City.
It was also noted that from December 5, 2017 to May 14, 2018, a total of 712 suspects were arrested during anti-illegal operations conducted in the region.
For illegal gambling, a total of 42 anti-illegal gambling operations were conducted, which led to the arrest of 120 persons and confiscation of PHP8,989 money for betting.
From December 5, 2017 to May 7, 2018, 311 illegal gambling operations were conducted and 311 cases were also filed in court.
Malong said that Canieso reiterated that its fight against illegal gambling is the internal cleansing, saying policemen are not allowed to enter casinos and other illegal gambling establishments. (PNA)