Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Police-led house visits yield 792 drug personalities in Region 8

TACLOBAN CITY, April 18 (PNA) – The resumption of the Philippine National Police's (PNP) house visitation has yielded 792 illegal drug pushers and users from March 1 until today.

The PNP Regional Drug Enforcement Unit and teams in provinces, cities and towns have already visited 17,786 houses in six provinces under "Project Double Barrel Reloaded," according to a report released on Tuesday.

The campaign has revisited at least 15,920 houses as police continue to receive reports of the resurgence of drug activities in some areas previously cleared from the drugs menace.

“Unlike in the past, the Double Barrel reloaded is less aggressive because we have to make sure it is being done correctly and coordinated with other law enforcement agencies. The operations are being done in the presence of an elected official and a representative from the religious sector,” said Chief Insp. Ma. Bella Rentuaya, PNP Eastern Visayas regional spokesperson.

Aside from the surrenderers, the police also recorded 136 persons arrested through 123 anti-drug operations. At least five persons were killed for fighting back. The total market value of confiscated illegal drugs is pegged at PHP3.7 million.

The concept of Project Double Barrel is based on a double barrel gun, which fires two in just one squeeze of the trigger. The operation will simultaneously attack big-time drug lords and street-level trading.

The “first barrel” is directed to those at the top, while the "second barrel" is aimed at those in the bottom, which involves reforming drug users who want to get rid of drugs.

It was late last January when President Rodrigo Duterte directed the police to stop its anti-drug war and put priority instead on the internal cleansing of its personnel. The campaign resumed last March 1. (PNA)
SARWELL Q. MENIANO

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