By Jennifer P. Rendon
Weeks before Dinagyang Festival, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency 6 (PDEA-6) has been regularly inspecting possible entry points of illegal drugs.
And days before the highlight of the festival, the agency doubled its efforts in checking seaports, airports, and transport terminals.
“Sometimes, we do the interdiction twice a day at areas where illegal drugs are commonly sneaked in,” PDEA-6 officer-in-charge Alex Tablate said.
Sweeping operations in malls and shopping centers were also heightened.
Recently, PDEA-6 operatives have been a common sight in watering holes and night spots.
On the evening of Jan. 23, PDEA-6 also conducted random paneling at the Boardwalk and Smallville Complex in Mandurriao district.
The same inspection was also conducted at West Visayas State University (WVSU), La Paz district before Miss Iloilo 2020 Coronation Night.
“These series of operations are part of the pre-emptive measures being implemented by the agency to pre-empt the entry and use of illegal drugs.
But so far, in all its recent K9 sweeping and random paneling, no illegal drugs were found.
“We will still continue to do our operations to ensure that the celebration of Dinagyang would be drug-free,” he said.
So far, PDEA-6 has not monitored any big volume of illegal drugs shipped in for Dinagyang.
But Tablate said they are not lowering their guards and have also intensified their operations in Guimaras province, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, and Capiz.
