By Jennifer P. Rendon
Anti-illegal drug operations in Iloilo province quadrupled in the first semester of 2023.
During the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) meeting, the Iloilo Provincial Police Office (IPPO) reported that different IPPO units conducted 120 operations from January 1 to June 10 this year.
The record showed a 300 percent increase from the number of operations conducted in the same period last year.
Consequently, the number of arrested persons also increased by 114 or around 285 percent.
The volume and the value of seized illegal drugs also increased by several folds.
Major Rolando Araño, IPPO spokesperson, said the volume of drugs seized rose to 627.10 percent while the market value increased by 753.35.
Araño earlier said that those arrested are mostly new players.
Despite the increase in seized drugs, the IPPO said they consider it a positive note.
“On the brighter side, it speaks about our aggressive operations against illegal drugs. We are doing intensified monitoring operations to thwart the proliferation of shabu,” Araño said.
Aside from illegal drugs, the number of operations against illegal gambling has also increased.
From 51 operations, it rose to 83, or an increase of 62.75 percent.
Araño said the number of operations against loose firearms also increased by 97.22 percent while the number of confiscated and surrendered loose firearms is up by 105.29 percent.
The intensified campaign against wanted persons resulted in the arrest of 732 individuals. The number is higher by 65.61 percent compared to the same period last year.
But the biggest increase in IPPO operational accomplishments was on illegal fishing.
From only 13 operations last year, IPPO units conducted 164, or an increase of 1,161.54 percent.
The number of arrested persons also increased by 765.38 percent.
