Talisay City village now ‘clean’ of drugs — De Leon

CEBU, Philippines — A drug-infested barangay in Talisay City, Cebu is now cleared after a series of anti-illegal drug operations, a top police official said.

“Yung lugar kung saan namumugad ang mga (criminals and drug pushers), ngayon ay ang linis na,” said Brigadier General Valeriano De Leon, Police Regional Office-7 director.

De Leon was referring to Barangay Tangke, a reported hotspot for illegal drugs.

On January 29, 2020, for instance, Talisay police confiscated illegal drugs worth around P150,000 in a two-hour operation dubbed as “Oplan Limpyo Talisay” in Barangay Tangke.

De Leon said he is satisfied with the performance of Talisay police.

He said 30 policemen were detailed in Talisay to help solve the city’s illegal drug problem.

As part of the effort to curb illegal drugs in the city, police chiefs, including Cebu Provincial Police Office director Roderick Mariano, are directed to closely monitor the anti-illegal drug operations in the city.

Talisay police intensified their campaign against illegal drugs after President Rodrigo Duterte said that illegal drug trade has remained rampant in the city.

Duterte, in a speech during his visit in Cebu on January 19 for the Sinulog Festival, particularly lashed out at Talisay City— which he described as under a “state of unrest” due to the number of crimes in the area.

“Talisay is in a state of unrest. All kinds of crimes are there,” the president said.

Duterte in August 2018 also called out the Talisay police and personnel of Cebu’s regional Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency for their supposed involvement in illegal drugs.  KQD (FREEMAN)