Finally – the big one falls

For years, Jose "KI," Boy Cuadra had always been on the front pages of the regional dailies. He was reputed as one of the untouchable drug lords of Negros Occidental. But he was also listed among the most wanted drug personalities in Western Visayas.

Many of his group and family members had been arrested in drug busts. Somehow, Cuadra always managed to escape arrest.

Monday, however, Cuadra landed in the headlines once more. This time, he was arrested with two others as he was about to board a Skyhawk Cessna at the Caticlan Airport in Aklan. The arresting officers were members of the Aviation Security Group together with other police units.

Immediately charges of violation of Republic Act 9165, the Comprehensive Drug Act of 2002, were filed against him. His companion, Raymundo Morales, a contractual employee of the provincial government of Negros Occidental, was also held in custody. Investigators claimed Morales had also yielded shabu. The third companion Zaphiro Mendoza was not included in the filing of charges since he did not yield prohibited drugs.

Morales was granted a P50,000 bail. Cuadra, however, was denied bail by the court. He was turned over to the Aklan provincial jail.

Cuadra, incidentally denied any involvement in a drug-related activity. But he has three pending drug cases in different regional trial courts of Bacolod City.

Nine of the Cuadra family members were freed from jail after posting bail bonds of P60,000 each. PDEA show that several members of the Cuadra Group have a total of 60 pending drug cases against them.

That per se, indicates what is wrong with the government handling of drug cases. The big ones usually enjoy liberty while their cases drag in court.

Well, for the moment, the Cuadra arrest may, according to PNP provincial Supt. Vicente Porteras, eased the problem in Region VI. He considered the arrest a welcome development.

There were speculations that Cuadra had gone to Boracay, hoping to establish his outlets in the island resort. In the first place, he is not well known in Boracay and may have felt confident, was how Ponteras summed up his impression about Cuadra’s presence in the island resort.

Well, it is hoped that the trail of Cuadra may be done speedily. That should send a signal to all and sundry in the region that one may enjoy a degree of protection but sooner or later, the law will catch up with a drug lord.

SARS tackled in Negros

It took a time for the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) to raise local concerns. But when word leaked out that a suspected SARS victim had died in Alcala, Pangasinan, local authorities moved fast to organize preventive measures.

Negros Occidental Gov. Joseph Maranon set up a health surveillance system on SARS. They are tasked to monitor ports and airports of potential and confirmed SARS victims.

So far, there have been no reported SARS cases in Negros Occidental nor in Bacolod City.

In Dumaguete City, meanwhile, Gov. George Arnaiz and provincial and local officials will meet with hotel and resort owners to discuss measures to prevent the spread of the dreaded disease.

Last April 15, Regional Epidemiology – Surveillance and Testing Center Dr. Junji Zuasula called on local government units to spearhead the establishment of a SARS monitoring network.

So far, there have been no reported local transmission of the virus. Dr. Erlinda Cabrera, city health officer, said they have identified only one hospital to have an isolation ward.

The education and information campaign about SARS, however, had tended to defuse the widespread panic over the still mystifying disease. Its fatality rate, based on health officials, is much lower than that of measles and other common infectious diseases. But ignorance about the mode of transmission has given rise to a lot of concern.