COTABATO CITY — An official of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in the SOCCSKSARGEN Region made an appeal anew on Monday to drug lords and members of drug rings to voluntarily surrender or face the consequence.
SOCCSKSARGEN, officially designated as Region 12, comprises the provinces of South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani; and also the cities of Cotabato, Tacurong, Kidapawan and General Santos.
In this city, PDEA–12 Director Gil Ceasario said their counterparts have the full support of the local government in running after suspected drug lords and drug peddlers alike.
Speaking over a local radio station, Ceasario mentioned the arrest over the weekend of an agricultural dealer for possession of prohibited drugs and firearms following a dawn raid in his home in Koronadal City.
He said Alvin Valerio of Quality Agricultural Supply, a store selling agricultural products and fertilizers, did not resist arrest when PDEA-12 operatives raided his home in Barangay Gen. Paulino Santos at around 3 a.m. Saturday.
Prior to Valerio’s arrest, PDEA agents also nabbed a town mayor in Sarangani and seized from his home more than PhP1 million worth of shabu substance, a mini-laboratory and high-powered guns.
Also arrested were another businessman and several drug peddlers and users in the lower level of a drug syndicate operating in SOCCSKSARGEN.
Castro said El Patron drug ring is the biggest drug group operating in the region and has links to the Maute Group – Anzar al-Kilafa Philippines, a local terrorist group in Sarangani and the Parojinog drug ring of Ozamiz City.
Castro said a “green book” seized from the house of Maasim, Sarangani Mayor Aniceto Lopez, showed the personalities in the region who belonged to the drug ring.
Castro refused to name them except saying three mayors in the region are within the radar of PDEA, including several village officials.
“It’s better for them to come forward and peacefully surrender,” he said of local officials now under surveillance,” he said.
Castro said PDEA is facing a bigger challenge now after President Duterte issued an executive order entrusting back to PDEA the war on drugs.
In the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), PDEA Director Juvenal Azurin also said his office is facing huge and multiple challenges after Malacañang named PDEA as the sole agency in the war on drugs.
Speaking to reporters, Azurin admitted lack of manpower, firepower and facilities make the new task very challenging. With that, he said, PDEA in enforcing the war on drugs of Duterte administration still needs the support of the Philippine National Police, the military and other security agencies for the task.
He said PDEA-ARMM assessment showed the illegal drug situation in his area of jurisdiction is still in “red,” meaning it remained one of the major threats to society.
The ARMM comprises the cities of Marawi and Lamitan, and the provinces of Maguindanao, Sulu, Tawi-tawi, Lanao del Sur and Basilan. Due to its proximity to Maguindanao, the PDEA-ARMM has included Cotabato City to its area of operation. (PNA)
