‘Ecstasy’ difficult to monitor – Cops

CEBU, Philippines —  The Cebu City Police Office admitted that it is difficult to monitor the distribution of party drug "ecstasy" tablets considering that this type of drugs is mostly used by high-profile individuals.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Wilbert Parilla, deputy director for administration of CCPO, said on Tuesday that most of the sellers of ecstasy tablets are very choosy on selecting their buyers.

"We have a problem man gud with ecstasy kay dili ni siya pareha sa shabu nga ang mga namaligya og shabu bisag kinsa pwede nila taga-an...so kaning ecstasy, sa higher level ni siya nga mga addicts that are considered as the preferred drug of high-profile individuals," Parilla said.

"Usually ang kining mga namaligya ani, they will not sell it unless kaila jud sila. That makes it difficult for us," he added.

In Cebu, the distribution of ecstasy is not as rampant compared to the selling of sh abu.

Ecstasy can be sold for P2,500 to P3,000 each tablet and the sale is usually down at exclusive and high-end bars.

According to police, most of the users are those aged 20 to early 30s.

"Although it is present, dili pa na siya ingon ana ka rampant considering nga limited ra sad. Dili man gud na siya pareha sa shabu nga daghan ang mogamit. Ang ecstasy limited ra man sad ang gamit and ang makapalit kato rapod dunay ika-afford," Parilla said.

Coordination continues

Despite the problems they have encountered on monitoring against distribution of the illegal drug, Parilla said they will continue to coordinate with bar owners in order to assist in monitoring against the drugs' distribution.

"We really find it difficult labi na sa mga high-end nga mga bars which is limited sad ang ilahang makasulod. sometimes dunay mga bars nga only those nga ilahang mga kaila ang makasud sa ilahang exclusive nga mga parties. Usually mao na atong i-monitor nga possible market sa illegal drugs," he said.

"Mostly ari ni siya ma-distribute sa mga high-end bars so wala gyud na siya bisan asa lang nimo mapalit. Usually, anha na siya sa mga parties," he added.

Last Monday afternoon, more than 2,000 ecstasy tablets with an average market value of P5,072,800 million were confiscated by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) from a certain suspect named Lunel Paden in Barangay Pasil, Cebu City.

PDEA operatives, in coordination with the Bureau of Customs, and Ninoy Aquino International Airport-Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group (NAIA-IADITG) conducted a controlled delivery that was discovered last June 10 at Central Mail Exchange Center (CMEC) Domestic Road in Pasay City, which resulted to the arrest of the suspect and confiscation of suspected ecstasy tablets.

"It is good nga ang PDEA nadakpan ang suspect before ma-distribute (ang ecstasy) because once it will be distributed, we really find it difficult (to monitor) considering nga ang kining mamaligya ani nila, dili gyud na sila mohatag," Parilla said.

"Ingon ana kalisod ang pag operate sa ecstasy, but we would like to thank the PDEA nga ilahang nakuha diha daan palang ,before siya ma-distribute sa ilahang supposedly market," he furthered.

Parill shared they are also in good coordination and relationship with the PDEA in Central Visayas.

"Everytime duna silay mga information, ang PDEA mo coordinate with us for a joint operation para mas dako og impact then dako og result ang maong operation," he said. - JMD (FREEMAN)