Pubdate: Fri, 21 Jan 2005 Source: Freeman, The (Philippines) Copyright: 2005 The Freeman Contact: http://www.thefreeman.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3437 Author: Rene U. Borromeo Cited: Philippine National Police http://www.pnp.gov.ph COPS IN 17 TOWNS HAVE NO DRUG ARRESTS Policemen assigned in 17 towns of the province have not turned up a single recorded accomplishment in the campaign against drugs for the whole year of 2004. Based on the tally board of the Cebu Provincial Police Office operations branch, the towns where police have no recorded accomplishment in the campaign against illegal drugs are Consolacion, Pilar, Tudela, Catmon, Sogod, Madridejos, Sta. Fe, San Remigio, Tabuelan, Asturias, Ronda, Alcantara, Badian, Samboan, Santander, Oslob and Boljoon. The records also showed that the policemen assigned in nine other towns of the province only conducted a single operation for each of them for last year. These municipalities are Naga, Sibonga, Ginatilan, Alegria, Pinamungajan, Bantayan, Borbon, San Francisco and Poro. Of the four component cities of the province, the policemen in Lapu-Lapu City have the highest number of accomplishments when they have conducted 130 anti-drugs operations. The policemen in Talisay City who conducted 39 anti-drugs operations was next, followed by the Danao City police station which had 24 operations and the Toledo police with five. The officials of the Cebu Provincial Police Office admitted that some of those municipalities where policemen failed to record or conduct anti-drugs operations, are not seriously facing a drug problem. "Pero dili mahitabo nga wala g'yoy illegal nga drugas sa usa ka lungsod, ilabi na kon ang lungsod ania sa mainland," a CPPO official said. Under PNP law, these policemen have failed to comply with the order of PNP chief Dir. General Edgar Aglipay to intensify the drive against the illegal drugs, tagged as the number one problem because most of the heinous crimes are drug-related. CPPO director Maximo Calimlim was still in Manila and could not be reached for his comment on the issue. - ---