Cebu Police Sees Surge in Illegal Drugs Supply During Sinulog
The supply of illegal substances including “party drugs”, will most likely increase in Cebu City during the Sinulog Festival on Sunday, said Senior Supt. Royina Garma, Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) director, in a forum here Tuesday.
“We have been anticipating the arrival of more drugs to Cebu because many people are coming for the Sinulog,” Garma said in the forum hosted by the Association of Government Information Officers (AGIO) and the Philippine Information Agency in Central Visayas (PIA-7).
“That’s why we have intensified our anti-drug operations in the hopes of at least reducing the supply and demand of these illegal substances,” she said.
The intensification of the CCPO’s operations, Garma added, led to their recovery of 3.6 kilograms of suspected shabu from an arrested high-value target late Monday night.
Elements of the Pardo Police Station arrested 35-year-old Alfred Gabunia in Barangay Basak San Nicolas, who yielded three extra-large and six large packs of the white crystalline substance with an estimated value of PHP25 million.
Garma said they have been monitoring Gabunia’s operations for two days before they conducted the operation.
The CCPO chief said this was their biggest drug haul so far this year and she is glad that approximately 36,000 users will be deprived of shabu as a result of their successful operation.
Garma said Gabunia’s group is big and she hopes that his arrest will lead to the apprehension of other members of the gang soon.
“Malaking grupo ito (This group is big) and they are getting their supply from Mindanao,” Garma said.
Meanwhile, Garma said the CCPO will really implement tight security measures during the Sinulog Festival on Sunday even though there is no imminent threat to Cebu.
She said they will strictly implement the “no backpacks” policy and the liquor ban within the 300-meter radius of the grand parade route.
“We will not issue warnings on those caught drinking alcoholic beverages. We will arrest them on the spot,” Garma said.
Garma also advised parents to put name tags on their children during the grand parade. The tags should contain the name of the child, parents’ names, home address, and contact number.
“This will enable us to locate and contact the parents or guardians should their kids get lost among the sea of revelers,” she said.
The lady police chief also asked the cooperation of the public to ensure a peaceful and happy fiesta celebration on Sunday.
“The police will be there to protect the public 100 percent. But I’m also asking the community to do their share in crime prevention and report any untoward incident or suspicious-looking individuals to the authorities,” Garma said. (PNA)
