63 drug pushers and users neutralized

A baranggay was cleared of illegal drugs while at least 63 drug pushers and users were neutralized by the Mandaluyong City police in its massive anti-drugs operations for the month of January.

The Mandaluyong City police under Senior Superintendent Sukarno Ikbala also recorded remarkable accomplishments in non-index crimes like illegal drugs, car theft, illegal possession of firearms, arrest of wanted criminals and illegal gambling compared to the same month last year.

Despite this positive development, however, Ikbala admitted the crime rate in the city for the first month of the year rose slightly. But this is no cause for alarm, he said, because the rising figure was due to the fact that the police are now working hard as shown by their accomplishments on non-index crimes. "The figure was dragged up by our accomplishments in the non-index crimes," said Ikbala of the rising crime rate in the city.

According to Ikbala, the police are right on target to achieve their goal of improving the city’s peace and order situation as envisioned by Mandaluyong City Mayor Benjamin "Benhur" Abalos Jr. to attract local and foreign investors.

"I would say we are right on target. There are some problems we encountered in our effort to reduce the city’s crime rate but presently, we are plugging the loopholes and expect to improve our efficiency in the coming months," said Ikbala in an interview.

In his report to Mayor Abalos, Ikbala declared Barangay Burol as cleared of illegal drugs. The police and barangay officials organized Barangay Anti-Drug Action Center (BADAC) in the area to prevent drug pushers and users from operating there. The police conducted a total of eight anti-drug seminars and briefings in Barangay Burol which resulted to the surrender of 10 drug users for rehabilitation.

With Barangay Burol now cleared of illegal drugs, only 10 of the 27 city barangays remained influenced by the drug problem, said Ikbala.

The police also conducted a total of 45 raids and buy-bust operations which resulted in the arrest of two drug pushers and 51 drug users, four of whom were listed in the BADAC watchlist. A total of 31 cases were filed in court. The arrest figure was 200 percent higher than the 18 people arrested for the month of January last year.

A total of 5.19 grams of shabu confiscated were also up by 399 percent than the figure of last year, said Ikbala in his report.

In the campaign against loose firearms, the police conducted 84 operations which resulted in the arrest of six people and the recovery of six firearms. For the same month last year, the police conducted five operations and arrested one suspect.

Ikbala said they also arrested two most wanted persons and served a total of 65 warrants of arrest which yielded 48 positive results. A total of 84 operations were conducted against illegal gambling which resulted to the arrests of 16 people and the confiscation of P7,901 in cash bets and gambling paraphernalia.

The police reported only one car stolen in the city while recovering five carnapped vehicles.