Operatives of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) have arrested two suspected drug dealers and seized P43.5 million worth of illegal drugs in Quezon City.
Meanwhile, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) welcomed reforms at the Philippine National Police (PNP), including ensuring accountability of erring police officers, especially those allegedly involved in deaths relating to anti-drug operations.
A composite team from the Quezon City Police District, Cubao Police Station – Drug Enforcement Unit (Cubao-SDEU) and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency conducted the raid on No. 46 C, 16th Ave. in Barangay San Roque around 2:30 a.m.
The suspects were identified as Riza Bilbao, 25; and Alvin Rapinian, 26. The confiscated contraband consisted of dried marijuana, shabu, cocaine, ecstasy, liquid marijuana, and kush.
Other materials seized were several pieces of vape cartridge, unlabeled bottles, two weighing scales, a mobile phone, and the boodle and cash money used by the authorities in the entrapment operation.
NCRPO director Felipe Natividad said the estimated total weight and value of shabu confiscated was 1.5 kilos worth P10.2 million; while the dried marijuana was 85 kilos worth 10.2 million; a kilo of cocaine worth P5.3 million; 7,594 tablets of ecstasy P12.9 million; and kush (high grade marijuana) 35 kilos worth P4.9 million.
The suspects are now detained at the Cubao SDEU detention facility and will be charged with violation of Republic Act 9165 (Dangerous Drugs Act) while the recovered pieces of evidence were turned-over to the Central Police District Forensic Unit for laboratory examination.
“I commend the joint efforts of our operatives for a job well done which resulted in the arrest of the suspects and seizure of large amount of suspected illegal drugs. May this accomplishment serve as a warning to those who are engaged in similar unlawful activities that Team NCRPO will not cease in its endeavor to fight illegal drugs in the region,” said Natividad.
From March 1 to July 31 this year, the Metro Manila police were able to arrest more than 9,000 suspected drug dealers and dependents.
Natividad lauded the men from the five police command offices—Manila, Quezon City, Southern Police District, Eastern Police District and Northern Police District—under his jurisdiction for their efforts implementing the government’s campaign against illegal drugs, especially in going after individuals and their cohorts engaged in drug dealing.
The NCRPO and the five police districts have conducted a total of 5,148 anti-narcotics operations in Metro Manila which also resulted in the seizure of P1.23 billion worth of illegal drugs.
“CHR is hopeful of the thrust of the new PNP Chief Rodolfo Azurin Jr. to reform the national police through the Kapulisan, Simbahan, at Pamayanan or the Kasimbayanan program,” executive director Jacqueline Ann de Guia said.
She said the CHR believes that collaboration with the community and faith-based leaders would help nurture a more compassionate police force to enable them implement crime control and prevention methods that are humane, holistic and sustainable.
De Guia said Azurin’s plan to review the curriculum and training programs for their new recruits and officers is welcome development.
“We are willing and ready to further work with the PNP in improving the curriculum and training programs,” she added.
Azurin previously said “killing is not the solution in drug war,” and promised to go after the masterminds of the drug trade and prioritize development of areas where drugs are prevalent.
“CHR looks forward to its translation to human rights-based policing where due process consistently prevails and violence is significantly reduced, if not totally eliminated,” De Guia noted.