Pubdate: Fri, 08 Mar 2002
Source: Cebu Daily News  (Philippines)
Copyright: 2002sCebu Daily News
Contact:  http://www.cebudailynews.com.ph/metro5.htm
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1723

TALISAY DRUG PUSHERS, COP SIGN COVENANT

Talisay police and suspected drug pushers signed a covenant to put an
end to the illegal drug trade in the city.

Police Chief Cecil Sandalo and some 30 suspected pushers signed the
covenant before Mayor Eduardo Gullas yesterday morning.

Chief Insp. Rogelio Raymundo presented the agreement to the alleged
pushers, saying that with their (attendees) signatures in the
covenant, they would promise to stop their drug operations and
cooperate with the police.

City Legal Officer Aurora Econg said that once the agreement is
notarized, " it would already be considered a public document and if
they (suspects) would violate the covenant they would immediately be
arrested."

Prior to the signing, Gullas warned the suspects to stop their illegal
activities or get out of Talisay.

"Hunong na mo sa inyong illegal nga buluhaton dinhi. Kung dili mo
muhunong, gawas nalang mo dinhi, ayaw nalang mo dinhi sa Talisay (Stop
your illegal activities. If you don't want to, get out of
Talisay)," Gullas told them.

The mayor said that immediately after Sandalo assumed the post last
year, "I asked if I could meet with the people suspected to be
involved in the illegal drug trade."

"I gave them eight months without meeting them but now is the time
that I meet with them and make my intentions clear," he added.

According to Gullas, illegal activities such as the distribution of
prohibited drugs in his city could hinder Talisay's economic
development.

Assistant Provincial Director for Operations Peter Isidro said police
have been doing their best to curb illegal drugs.

But a suspected distributor who has been arrested thrice said he had
no other means to support his 10 children "since I could earn at
least P160 a day and this is not even enough to feed my family."

Another suspected drug dealer bared that his driver's license was
revoked by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) thus he could no
longer drive his jeep. A friend gave him a pack of shabu to sell and
from then on, he has made drug peddling his livelihood.

But Gullas said poverty isn't an excuse to get involved in
"something that would put people's lives in danger."

"A lot of people have gone through even worse situations in life but
have managed to feed their families through their decent earnings,"
he told them.

Although he promised to try to give them other means of livelihood,
Gullas admitted that the city's resources are limited.

Also during the meeting, a resident accused Talisay police of planting
evidence on innocent people.

Sandalo denied the charge, saying his men have always been honest in
their work.

"Planting evidence is the work of lazy policemen. I make it a point
that my men observe rules and abide by them," he said in Cebuano.
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