ANGELES CITY — Police authorities here have shifted their campaign against illegal drugs to high gear, netting 250 suspected street “pushers” and users in the first quarter of 2019.
Senior Supt. Narvin Mangune, director of Angeles City Police Office said their operations resulted in the seizure of 233.72 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride.
Mangune said four drug personalities were killed in separate buy bust stings wherein 43,578 grams of cannabis (marijuana) have been confiscated and 12 different types of handguns were seized in 146 anti-illegal drugs police operations across the city.
“Our campaign against the menace of society is in full swing and we expect more arrests in the future days to come,” said Mangune over the phone while pointing out the cooperation of different stake holders and communities, a vital component, to win in this war against drugs.
Without commuinty cooperation, Mangune said the government will not succeed in combating this prohibited substance.
In his report to Chief Supt. Joel Napoleon Coronel, Central Luzon police director, Mangune said a “reformation” center has been set up for those who have light offenses, for them to undergo self-rehabilitation for three to six months.
While under rehabilitation, Mangune said they are being trained with various livelihood activities so that they will be productive citizens when they return to their respective communities.
“The self-rehabilitation program of the reformation center is not only helping drug victims with their metamorphosis but to also decongest the jail facility,” Mangune explained, adding that the detention facility is already over populated. Most of the detained are facing illegal drugs offenses.
In nearby Barangay Balibago, the seat of the city’s entertainment district, Chairman Ridelio “Tony” Mamac has adopted a similar reformation center intended for his constituents who are caught using illegal drugs.
“Illegal drugs users arrested in my place are sent to undergo self rehabilitation. They have to work hard labor to sweat it out. Only through perspiration we can flush out methamphetamine residue from a drug users’ body,” Mamac said.
After the six-month rehab period, they are free to go back to their families. But some opted to stay to do volunteer works, it was learned.
The growing number of arrested persons engaged in illegal drugs use is not only a problem in Angeles City but as well as many areas in the country due to easy access or presence of drug traffickers undetetcted by government authorities.