Pubdate: Fri, 09 Dec 2005
Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer (Philippines)
Copyright: 2005 Philippine Daily Inquirer
Contact:  http://www.inquirer.net/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1073
Author: Romulo Ponte
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/areas/Philippines

DRUG MENACE SPREADS TO 30 VILLAGES OF SAN PABLO, POLICE SAY

SAN PABLO CITY -- Illegal drugs, like shabu or methamphetamine
hydrochloride, are widespread in at least 30 villages of this city,
according to the city police chief.

In a report presented to the city council of San Pablo about the
current status of the anti-drug campaign of the government, Senior
Supt. Elmo Sarona, San Pablo City police chief, said that the drug
menace has now affected 30 barrios.

Sarona said the barangays affected by the spread of the illegal drugs
included the villages of 1-B, Bagumbayan, II-A, III-C, II-E, VI-D,
VI-E, Del Remedio, San Nicholas, San Cristobal, San Diego, San
Francisco, San Gabriel, San Gregorio, San Jose, San Juan, San Lucas I,
San Lucas II, San Marcos, Sta. Isabel, Santiago II, San Rafael, Sta.
Elena, San Buenaventura, Sta. Maria, San Roque, Sto. Angel, Sta.
Felomina, Sto. Cristo and Sta. Cruz (Putol).

Sarona said that since January 2005, the city PNP's anti-drug
operations resulted in the arrest of 94 persons involved in drugs, 12
of them were drug pushers and 82 were drug users. At least 52 of these
drug suspects are now facing cases in various courts.

Among the latest drug suspects arrested by the police included the
three sons of late Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) Flor Contemplacion.
They are Sandrex, 32; twin brothers Joel, 25 and Junjun, 25.

Police had said that the three were arrested allegedly in a buy-bust
operation for "peddling illegal drugs shabu (methamphetamine
hydrochloride) in their area for years."

Sarona also reported that in the year 2003-2004, the city police had
conducted 119 anti-drug operations, which resulted in the apprehension
of 284 suspects involved in drugs. Of the number, 52 were drug
pushers, 202 were drug users and a total of 100 grams of shabu were
confiscated.

The police chief appealed to the village officials to regularly have a
dialogue with the police to speed up the process of solving the
illegal drug problem in their areas.

Sarona also requested the city council of San Pablo to provide funds
to the police station for the acquisition of facilities needed to
determine whether arrested suspects are actual users of the prohibited
chemicals or not.

The city police head finally requested the council to pass an
ordinance that would provide legal counsel to some members of the PNP
who are facing charges in court as a result of their operations
against individuals involved in illegal drugs. 
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