City police target to confiscate P1 billion drugs

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) Director Gemma Vinluan is aiming to reach at least P1 billion worth of suspected shabu seized in a year during her leadership.

Vinluan dared the 11 station commanders under her command to net five kilos of shabu per year, as she is determined to topple her predecessor’s illegal-drug net of almost P700 million worth of shabu.

“More or less five kilos sa isang taon ang dapat, ang target amount is the goal. We cannot say na it is definite, but it will be important to have a goal so they will be guided,” she said.

Her statement came after the recovery of close to P9 million worth of shabu in an anti-illegal drug operation in Barangay Duljo Fatima, Cebu City by the operatives of the Guadalupe Police Station.

“Natuwa ako na nakakuha sila but I was not surprised kasi yun na ang instruction ko, pero dapat ay double effort,” she said.

Vinluan said that she would not think twice of relieving the station commanders if they fall behind the anti-illegal drug operations.

She said she would rather have lower ranking officers lead a station rather than have station commanders who have performance issues.

“Itong mga station commander na ito, kapag hindi nag-perform ay i-relieve ninyo. I would rather have yung ranks of SPO1, SPO2 lead kaysa yung natutulog-tulog lang sa pansitan,” she said.

She added that while she is bent on doubling the accomplishment of CCPO in illegal drugs, she will make sure that other programs will also not be looked over.

Among her priority include the Online Sexual Exploitation of Children (OSEC) and sex trafficking in Cebu City.  She said that it is high-time to address gender-based violence, such as rape.

However, a week since she promised to fight off rapists and send them to jail, two cases of rape had already been recorded in CCPO.

The first was recorded in Mabolo Police Station last July 10, when a 19-year-old girl was allegedly abducted and raped inside a white van.

The attackers are yet to be identified and still at large.

The second incident was reported at the Talamban Police Station when a 24-year-old man was arrested after he was positively identified by his 17-year-old victim.

Vinluan, however, said that she ordered respective station commanders to hunt suspect behind the rape of the 19-year-old girl.

Meanwhile, drugs worth around P68,000 were seized from a woman in a buy-bust operation last Wednesday dawn at Modesta Street, Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City.

The suspect was identified as Jiepora Go Agarpao, 25, a resident of the place.

Police Station 9 led by Major Dindo Juanito Alaras conducted a buy-bust operation in the area which resulted to the arrest of the suspect.

Recovered from the suspect were six sachets of suspected shabu and P200 buy-bust money.

The suspect is now detained at the Guadalupe Police Station for proper disposition and will face charge for the violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act. — David E Mesias, CNU Intern/GAN (FREEMAN)