7,294 more drug users surrender to Southern Police Distrct

MANILA, Philippines — Some 7,294 drug users have surrendered to the police as of Thursday since the crackdown on illegal drug activities started last July 1, the Southern Police District (SPD) said Friday.

Pasay City has the most number of surrendered drug users at 2,221 followed by Muntinlupa (1,473), Las Piñas City (1,362), Parañaque City (1,174), Makati City (944) and Taguig City (120). There were no drug dependents who surrendered to police in Pateros during the covered period, the SPD said.

For the same period, some 668 drug pushers have also surrendered to police under the implementation of "Oplan Tokhang." Under the operation, police officers in coordination with barangay officials visit the homes of suspected drug users and pushers and encourage them to surrender.

According to the SPD, Pasay City topped the list with the most number of surrendered drug pushers for the period at 330, followed by Las Piñas (133), Parañaque City (102), Makati (45), Muntinlupa (33) and Taguig (25).

Meanwhile, the SPD conducted 196 anti-drug operations from July 1 to July 26. During that period, the SPD filed 342 cases in court.

Police also arrested 399 suspected drug pushers and killed 16 suspected drug pushers. Of the suspects killed in police operations, seven were in Pasay City, while Las Piñas and Muntinlupa had each three suspects killed. Two suspects were killed in Parañaque City while Taguig City reported one suspected drug pusher killed in the same period.

Meanwhile, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) on Friday awarded SPD anti-drug operative PO2 Alvin Taduyo with the "Medalya ng Sugatang Magiting" (Philippine National Police Wounded Medal) after he sustained a gunshot wound on his left foot following a shootout with three suspected drug pushers in Taguig City on Thursday.