18 killed in all-out drug war
BUTUAN CITY – In the ongoing all-out war against illegal drugs here, 18 alleged dealers and pushers have been killed in the Caraga region with 339 drug pushers arrested and 33,583 users surrendered.
The Northeastern Mindanao Police Regional Office 13 (PRO 13) based at Camp Rafael C. Rodriguez here showed that the 339 drug pushers were arrested during the 230 various Oplan Double Barrel operations by the police in the region. The 33,583 drug users who surrendered to various police units came from five provinces and six cities in Caraga.
A total of R39,946,039.2 worth of illegal drugs was also seized from various areas in the region since the start of Oplan Double Barrel in July 1, 2016.
Meanwhile, the regional office of the Department of Health (DOH 13) is set to launch the CommunityBased Rehabilitation Program Approach (CBRPA) to give attention to the growing number of drug dependents who have surrendered to local authorities.
The DOH-13 will train and orient municipal health officers, selected staff of provincial and city health offices, public health nurses and selected staff of DOH Caraga regarding the program.
“These health officers from various parts of the region must learn how to treat drug dependents, particularly drug addicts,” DOH-13 Assistant Regional Director Dr. Cesar Cassion said.
“The all-out drive against illegal drugs was personally spearheaded by Chief Supt. Rolando B. Felix, regional director of PRO 13, already supported by all sectors of the society, specifically from the various local government units,” said PRO 13 spokesperson Chief Inspector Charity S. Galvez.
“We were caught by surprise as to the magnitude of the number of people who surrendered and more than 1,000 drug users already came to us and to police authorities and their number continues to rise,” Surigao City Mayor Ernesto T. Matugas said.
“We will go with the plan of President Rodrigo R. Duterte on the fight against illegal drugs. Right now, I have asked the line agencies to support the city government in helping the drug dependents,” he said.