Top cop vows: CL ‘drug-free’by 2018
STO. TOMAS – Police Regional Office III (PRO-3) Director Aaron Aquino on Tuesday vowed to fully eradicate illegal drugs in Central Luzon by 2018.
Aquino made his commitment before Pampanga Police Provincial Director Joel Consulta, PRO-3 officers and policemen of this town during the inauguration of newest police station here.
Aquino said that he is confident that the Philippine National Police, with the constant support of local government units, can win the ongoing war against illegal drugs.
“Actually, kaya nga natin ngayong 2017 eh. But as agreed upon by the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines), we will officially declare the drug-free and insurgency-free Central Luzon in 2018,” he said.
The Regional Director explained that Central Luzon will only be considered drug-free once all villages are free from the proliferation of prohibited drugs and all drug pushers and users are accounted for.
He disclosed that as of now, more than 90 percent or 2,857 of the total 3,102 barangays in the region are already declared drug-cleared.
Aquino, however, said he cannot commit to “bloodless operations” as the ball is not only in the hands of the law enforcers.
“It also depends on the drug personalities. If they choose to fight it out with us, wala kaming magagawa dahil kailangan din namin protektahan ang aming mga sarili at kasama,” he stressed.
But Aquino assured the public that all their operations, both on ordinary people or highranking or elected officials, are and will always be legitimate.
“If they are seeing problems regarding our operations, we are always open for any investigation so we can also prove that we are only doing our mandate,” he added.
Aquino, meanwhile, sought the support and coordination of the public to expedite the eradication of illegal drugs in every community.
Once successful, Aquino said that the people of Central Luzon, especially youth, will also be the one to benefit in a peaceful Central Luzon.