Rey Anthony H. Chiu
TAGBILARAN CITY, July 6 (PIA) – Candijay town has
posted the largest number of drug personalities who surrendered to
authorities and swore to permanently stop their illegal trade.
This as 431 drug personalities, the biggest so far
among Bohol towns, surrendered today and took their solemn
oath befor Mayor Christopher Tutor, Rev. Fr. Paulito Amplayo,
PInspector Geral Luna and local officials and representatives of the academe.
Local police authorities ushered the surrenderees to the St.
Joseph Parish Church, where church and state leaders received them, acording
to netizen Jeryl Lacang-Fuentes.
In an interview at his station, PInspector Luna on Tuesday said
they were set to finish rounding up the 21 Candijay barangays by late
afternoon, the day after he announced the police implementation of Oplan
Tokhang.
Of the total number of drug personalities who surrendered, six
admitted to pushing while 425 said they are or were users and several have
stopped years back.
Owing to the seriousness of the police campaign initiated by the
Chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Ronald dela Rosa himself, Bohol
police stepped up its operations and have neutralized top drug
personalities..
Of the surrenderees, and based on their affidavits, 49 have
stopped using drugs since 2012, 58 stopped since 2013, 79 since 2014 and 103
stopped using drugs since 2015.
Among them were 136 active users who promised to stop using drugs,
as attested by their signed affidavits.
Among those who surrendered, Cogtong owns the biggest number of
drug personalities with 76, followed by Poblacion at 53, Can-olin at 42 and
Boyo-an at 39.
Luna also revealed that in his town, there are still some
barangays who are not drug affected, but they still await for more drug
personalities coming out anytime soon.
Other barangays with surrenderees include Lungsodaan 34, Panas 35,
Tugas: 30, La Union: 25, Mahangin: 25, Tambongan 16, Abihilan 15, Anoling: 13,
Canawa: 11, Tawid: 9, Tubod: 6 and Panadtaran 2.
Luna also reported that in the past year, Candijay Police
implemented 38 buy-bust operations and hailed suspects to court with violations
of anti-drug law, specifically section 5.
He also considers his station lucky as the local chief executive
himself is personally supporting the drive with cash incentives to police
operatives.
As the operations go on, Luna appeals to drug personalities who remain
in hiding to surrender or be implemented with “Oplan Double Barrel.”
After Oplan Tokhang, we are to implement Double Barrel and would
pursue operations against hard and soft targets, he said.
At the swearing in rites inside the St Joseph Church, Mayor Tutor
advised the surrenderees to seriously keep their promise.
Even with the sworn statements and affidavits, police operatives
bared that any indication of reverting to drugs would be a ground for intense
police operations, which might end up not as desired. (rmn/rac/PIA-7/Bohol)