NorMin Police and PDEA Step Up Internal Anti-Drug Measures

Cagayan de Oro, Northern Mindanao – Law enforcement agencies in Northern Mindanao are intensifying efforts to cleanse their ranks of involvement in illegal drug activities, with a recent operation leading to the arrest of a police officer.

According to Philippines News Agency, the Police Regional Office-10 (Northern Mindanao) director, the police are committed to an intensified internal cleansing program. Layug’s statement on Wednesday followed an anti-illegal drug operation in Barangay Carmen, Cagayan de Oro, where a 32-year-old police corporal was arrested for allegedly using ‘shabu’ (methamphetamine) with two others. The operation resulted in the seizure of shabu drugs valued at PHP 13,600 and related paraphernalia.

Col. Salvador Radam, the city police director, emphasized that this operation is part of the ongoing effort to eliminate illegal drug involvement within the police force. He issued a stern warning against personnel engaged in such activities, assuring that they will face appropriate charges.

In parallel, Benjamin Gaspi, the regional chief of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA-10), stated that they are also conducting an ‘internal integrity program’ to weed out agents involved in illegal drugs. Gaspi, a lawyer, noted that PDEA’s efforts extend beyond enforcement to include support for rehabilitative programs aiding the recovery of individuals who have used drugs.

PDEA-10 records indicate that 1,484 of the region’s 2,022 barangays have been declared drug-cleared, while 156 are categorized as drug-free. This shows a concerted effort by both the police and PDEA to tackle the issue of illegal drugs both within their ranks and in the wider community.