Lim, Lacson dared to catch `big fish' in Camanava area

Northern Metro residents dared yesterday Interior Secretary Alfredo Lim and Philippine National Police chief Deputy Director General Panfilo Lacson to start operating in their area "to ensure a good catch of the big fish or the lapu-lapus."

"If they (Lim and Lacson) want to capture big fish, then Camanava (Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela) area is a good fishing ground for them," a 56-year-old restaurateur, who requested anonymity, said.

He was referring to the assurance made recently by Lim and Lacson that the reinvigorated anti-narcotics drive will soon result in the apprehension of "big fish" or big-time drug traffickers.

"In Caloocan alone, there are known drug lords where the efforts of local police to arrest them are futile because of their influence and connection," he added.

Records gathered by The STAR revealed that the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council (Badac) has listed a total of 2,529 individuals involved in illegal drugs in Caloocan. Of the number, 1,002 are pushers and 1,527 are users.

A highly placed source claimed that the top three big-time drug pushers in Caloocan are either relatives of prominent politicians or members of influencial families.

The same thing goes in Navotas, where a son of a local politician is also on top of the list of alleged drug traffickers in the area. Badac identified a total of 149 pushers and 315 users in this coastal town whose open shores are reportedly used as transit points by drug traffickers.

Malabon has reportedly a total of 150 known drug pushers, one of them allegedly a close relative of a high ranking police official, the source added.

Valenzuela, he said, is "like a river, silent but deep." He did not elaborate. Badac has in its list a total of 119 pushers in the city.

The police anti-narcotics drive in Camanava from January last year to Jan. 7 this has resulted in the apprehension of 2,583 individuals said to be involved in illegal drugs.

Of the arrested persons, none is considered "big fish" or a big-time drug pusher.

A high ranking police official, who practically begged for anonymity, admitted that they can't do much against "the known but powerful and influential" drug traffickers in Camanava.

"Perhaps people like Secretary Lim and General Lacson could make a difference," he concluded.