Cebu, No. 1 in drugs?

Hold on to you seats. Cebu is now number 1 in drug abuse, President Rody Duterte said in a message on Wednesday before the Philippine Councilors’ League 10th National Congress in Pasay City.

He said Cebu has the highest drug abuse rate of about 60 to 70 percent. That means more than a third of Cebu’s population, or two in three persons, are into drugs.

If you look left and right, chances are the persons beside you are drug users, if you’re not.

Cebu Gov. Junjun Davide said he would want to know what was the president’s basis in saying Cebu has the highest drug rate in the country. He said he wants to know who feed the president that data.

Not me, said Chief Supt. Noli Taliño, director of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7. Me, neither, said Director Yogi Filemon Ruiz of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 7.

Well, the president said the drug problem in the country has reached epidemic proportions, so the figure must be that high.

Both Talino and Ruiz said the president’s information may have been based on the data before the new administration took over in July last year.

Look. PRO-7 said at least 22 kilos of shabu worth P260 million were seized in Central Visayas since July 1, 2016, some 106,980 drug pushers and users surrendered, while 5,413 were arrested.

At least 157 drug suspects were killed in different operations in the region, while 352 others were gunned down by unknown assailants.

But what did the president really say? Cebu City Councilor Joy Pesquera, who was near the stage when the president spoke, said she did not hear him talk bout Cebu having the highest drug rate in the country.

She said the president mentioned Cebu in passing and heard him referring to Cebu as having the most number of policemen involved in illegal drugs.

But some 200 of these cops have been transferred outside of Central Visayas.

If you look left and right, chances are the persons beside you are drug users, if you’re not