COTABATO CITY (PNA) – Police officials here said illegal drug personalities have been employing innovations in their desire to avoid arrest in the police intensified drive against the drug menace.
Senior Supt. Danny Reyes, city police director, said the campaign against illegal drugs and implementation of “Project Double Barrel” will continue and the police have become innovative too in dealing with illegal drug users and pushers.
“We have also developed the skills of dealing with drug personalities who use all kinds of tactics to avoid police operations,” Reyes said, adding that every day the police conduct anti-drug operations.
Since July 1 to date, 94 persons engaged in illegal drugs were arrested in Cotabato City while two were killed for resisting arrests.
Reyes said 1,948 individuals who admitted being drug dependents and peddlers have voluntarily “surrendered” to police with the promise of reforms.
“One drug suspect was running away during our police operation holding what appeared to be a cup of coffee,” Reyes said, smiling. “When accosted, the man’s cup contained shabu,” he said.
“Some were using children as shabu keepers to avoid detection by lawmen,” the city police director said.
Some put shabu in cigarette case, underwear even inside a kilo of rice placed on a plastic bag to avoid detection.
Reyes said the local police respect human rights and never fire his or her gun unless his life is in danger.
“We exhaust all peaceful means during operations and the rules of engagement are always followed,” he said.
