Capitol Rewards Cops for Successful Anti-Drug Ops

The Cebu Provincial Government on Monday, March 11, handed out awards and cash incentives to 135 police officers from seven police stations throughout the province for their accomplishments in the fight against illegal drugs in 2018.

The Cebu Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Office (CPADAO) hosted the “Operations Lawmen Awarding Ceremony” that recognized the police officers for helping the Cebu Provincial Government carry out its mission to attain a drug-free province.

Aside from the cash rewards, the Capitol also provided all the 51 police stations with DSLR cameras and laptops to help them in the documentation.

CPADAO Head Ivy Durano said that by statistics, the Province of Cebu, particularly Cebu City, is at the center of the campaign against illegal drugs and is among the top five local government units in the country with the most number of bloody incidents when it comes to the enforcement of the anti-drug campaign.

Image source: Cebu Provincial Gov’t

Durano also added that the number of drug addicts in the whole country has doubled by 100 percent, prompting her to call on the police force to double its efforts in the anti-drug campaign.

“Drug addicts in the country has not reduced but has actually swelled. It has doubled by 100%-from 3-4 million to 7-8 million,” Durano said, quoting one of President Rodrigo Duterte’s announcements.

These data are currently being assessed, and working on these figures from the President, Durano said she saw the need for the law enforcement agencies, CPADAO and other support units to do more.

“We need to be more innovative always in our strategies,” she said.

Image source: Cebu Provincial Gov’t

Cebu Gov. Hilario P. Davide III, in his message, asked members of the police force to stay neutral and avoid political patronage.

“Stay neutral always and just do your job. Do not pick sides, and take the side of the law always. Ayaw mo pagamit sa mga pulitiko, ayaw mo ug pag apil apil sa kampanya. You are there to ensure the safety of the public workers,” Davide said in reference to the upcoming 2019 elections.

Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO) Director Manuel Abrugena hopes that these awards will boost the morale of the police officers in the relentless fight to against the illegal drug problem in the province.

Abrugena, meanwhile, said there have been no reports that reached his office on members of the provincial police joining political campaigns. (Cebu Provincial Gov’t)