PDEA-Region 8 to release names of 1,000 involved in illegal drugs trade

TACLOBAN CITY — The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) regional office here yesterday reported that it is still running after more than 1,000 personalities involved in the illegal drugs trade in the entire region, in spite of the neutralization of 18 drug syndicates here.

PDEA regional chief Major Ronnie Montejo told The STAR that his office is set to hold its first workshop to identify other personalities who deserved to be placed in the order of battle or the drug watchlist.

He said some of the identified drug users, pushers and financiers had already migrated to nearby regions.

After the workshop, Montejo said the PDEA will release the names of those included in the new watchlist.

Five months ago, the PDEA here was able to neutralize another five drug syndicates during the intensified campaign against illegal drugs.

Because of this, Montejo said there was an 80-percent reduction in the supply of shabu in the past six months.

According to the PDEA chief, from February to May this year, only 42.68 grams of shabu and 21.16 grams of dried marijuana were recovered by PDEA operatives in almost 70 operations throughout the region.

Meanwhile, of the 110 persons arrested for involvement in illegal drugs, 88 were charged for violation of Republic 9165 or the Comprehensive Anti-illegal Drugs Law.

PDEA records also showed that of the 4,000 barangays in the Eastern Visayas region, 75 percent were already cleared of illegal drugs. The remaining 400 barangays still affected by illegal drugs are now priority areas of the anti-illegal drugs campaign.

Montejo emphasized that in the PDEA’s campaign in 2003, 78 criminal cases for violation of RA 9165 were filed against more than 200 persons allegedly responsible for the proliferation of illegal drugs here.

The PDEA is now monitoring these cases in different courts in the region.

"We have to monitor these cases from the time of filing to conviction," Montejo said.