By AARON RECUENCO
A police regional office in Luzon has shown that the conduct of the so-called One Time, Big Time operation can be a bloodless one.
More than 233 suspected pushers and users, including a policeman, were arrested in an all-out anti-criminality crackdown in the provinces of Mindoro Oriental and Occidental, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan.
Chief Supt. Wilben Mayor, director of the MIMAROPA regional police officer said various illegal drugs and gambling paraphernalia were confiscated during the overnight simultaneous operation on Friday.
“This is part of our intensified anti-criminality drive in the region. These operations were intended for wanted persons and other people engaged in illegal activities through the service of arrest and search warrants,” said Mayor.
Mayor said most of those arrested are in connection with illegal drugs trade, 20 of them were collared in various buy-busts that include a policeman.
Mayor identified the cop as Police Officer 3 Rey Basilo delos Santos, formerly assigned to the Mindoro Occidental Police but was recently deployed to the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Delos Santos was arrested with two others, according to Mayor.
A total of 54 small sachets allegedly containing shabu were seized in the entire operation.
Aside from illegal drugs, also targeted were those involved in illegal gambling and illegal logging activities.
Mayor said 16 were arrested for illegal gambling while five others for illegal logging.
The top three provinces with most number of arrests, he said, are Palawan, Marinduque, and Mindoro Oriental.
Although not included in the formal police operations lingo, One Time, Big Time operation, refer to simultaneous operations on several target areas.