BAGUIO CITY – The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) gave recognition to three PDEA Regional Offices, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-National Capital Region Police Office (CIDG-NCRPO), CIDG-Anti-Transnational Crime Division (ATU), Southern Police District (SPD), Quezon City Police District (QCPD), Manila Police District (MPD) and Lipa City Police Station, for their significant anti-drug operations.
PDEA Director General Undersecretary Arturo G. Cacdac, Jr. personally presented the plaque of recognition and awards during the agency’s flag-raising ceremony on March 14, 2016 at the PDEA National Headquarters in Quezon City.
PDEA Regional Office 1 under Director Adrian Alvariño received the award for their exemplary performance in the successful marijuana eradication operations with the Philippine Army and the Philippine National Police (PNP) which resulted in the destruction of 162,895 fully-grown marijuana plants, 200 marijuana seedlings, 730,000 grams of dried marijuana leaves and 170 grams of marijuana seeds, with a total estimated market value of P50.8 million, located in 32 marijuana plantation sites with an estimated area of 24,957 square meters in Barangay Licungan, Sugpon, Ilocos Sur, and the arrest of one drug personality on February 13, 2016.
PDEA RO1 was also was cited for the successful eradication operation on February 24, 2016 that led to the destruction of 49,600 fully-grown marijuana plants, 41, 600 marijuana seedlings, 700 grams of dried marijuana stalks, worth P11.7 million. The illegal hemp was discovered in 16 marijuana cultivation sites, with an estimated land area of 7,182 square meters in Barangays Sasaba and Sapdaan, Santol, La Union.
PDEA Regional Office 10 (PDEA RO10) under Director Wilkins Villanueva was cited for the successful conduct of a buy-bust operation on March 3, 2016, in collaboration with PDEA Regional Offices 9 and 11, in a parking area of a mall in Barangay Villa Verde, Iligan City, resulting in the arrest of four drug personalities and the seizure of more or less two kilograms of methamphetamine hydrochloride, or shabu, worth P4.8 million.
PDEA Cordillera Administrative Region (PDEA CAR) under Director Juvenal B. Azurin was given citation for the successful conduct of marijuana eradication in 98 plantation sites with an estimated area of 29,631 square meters located in Barangays Badeo and Tacadang, Kibungan, and Barangay Kapaya, Bakun, Benguet on February 13-18, 2016 which resulted in the destruction of 198,690 pieces of fully grown marijuana plants, 25,350 pieces of marijuana seedlings, 5,500 grams of dried marijuana leaves and 110,000 grams of marijuana stalks, with an estimated value of P54.9 million.
CIDG-NCRPO and CIDG-ATU under Police Senior Superintendent Eliseo Tam Rasco, was given three recognitions for the successful conduct of an entrapment operation on February 9, 2016 in a flower shop in B Pacific Center Building, Quintin Paredes Street, Manila that led to the arrest of seven drug personalities and the confiscation of three kilograms of shabu worth P15 million; on March 2, 2016 in a gasoline station in Paco, Manila which resulted in the arrest of three drug personalities, including one Chinese national and the seizure of four kilos of shabu worth P20 million; and one implementation of a search warrant in Mandaluyong City on February 13, 2016 leading to the confiscation of three kilos of shabu worth P15 million, high-powered firearms and ammunition and the arrest of two drug personalities.
SPD under PSSupt. Eusebio Mejos, was cited for the successful conduct of a buy-bust operation on February 17, 2016 that led to the arrest of two Chinese nationals and the confiscation of eight kilograms of shabu, with an estimated street value of P40 million.
QCPD was cited for the successful conduct of a buy-bust operation on February 23, 2016, which resulted in the arrest of one drug personality and the confiscation of one kilogram of shabu, worth 3 million along Kamias Road, Quezon City.
Also, QCPD received citation for the successful entrapment operation at the back of Quirino Grandstand, Luneta, Manila that led to the arrest of five drug personalities and the seizure of five kilograms of shabu worth P15 million on February 22, 2016.
MPD-DAIDSOTG under Police Chief Inspector Francisco Vargas was recognized for the successful buy-bust operation on February 26, 2016 along Hidalgo Street, Quiapo, Manila which resulted in the arrest of three drug personalities and the confiscation of one kilo of shabu worth P3 million.
Lipa City Police Station under PSSupt. Barnard Daguso received the award for the successful conduct of a buy-bust operation on February 29, 2016 in Barangay 7, Lipa City, Batangas. The operation resulted in the arrest of two drug personalities and the confiscation of 1.465 kilograms of shabu worth P4 million.
Also acknowledged were the accomplishments of PDEA Compliance Service under Director Helen Maita Reyes, together with its Dangerous Drugs Regulation Officers; and PDEA Laboratory Service under Director Belen Banog, together with its chemists, for their contributions to the national anti-drug campaign.
“I encourage our drug enforcement officers and allies to continue the fight against illegal drugs and maintain continued harmonious relationship with our counterparts so that we may secure a safe and drug-free future for our children and the generations to come,” Cacdac said.
