The Police Regional Office in Western Visayas (PRO-6) has urged the anti-narcotics personnel in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental to extend their efforts in the campaign against illegal drugs.
Brig. Gen. Rene Pamuspusan, police regional director, said he is satisfied with the results of the operations in both the city and the province, but he believes the police should do more.
“I’m contented with their accomplishments, but it doesn’t end there. We will not stop, we will continue. Drugs is still the priority program of the President and the Philippine National Police,” Pamuspusan said in a press conference with Mayor Evelio Leonardia at the Bacolod City Government Center on Monday.
“I’m still asking for their extended effort in the fight against illegal drugs. We still have a lot to do,” he added.
Pamuspusan said the Bacolod City Police Office, which is the region’s top performer in terms of the volume of confiscated illegal drugs and the arrest of drug personalities, is working in tandem with the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office.
In Bacolod, Pamuspusan said Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido, as deputy city director for operations, will act as chairman of the oversight committee on illegal drugs and will manage the different aspects of the campaign, including operations, intelligence build-up, and clearing of barangays.
“I’m sure with his background as former chief of police, crime buster, and anti-illegal drug officer, he will perform up to the task. We expect much from Lt. Col. Espenido. I believe this is the message of the President,” he added.
“The instruction to Lt. Col. Espenido as the chief of the City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU) is for him to go as far as the arrest of the last man, (up to) the last drug personality in Bacolod,” he said.
Col. Henry Biñas, city police director, said the Bacolod police has been very consistent in anti-drug operations, adding the presence of Espenido can minimize or probably even address the drug problem here.
For his part, Espenido appealed to the people of Bacolod to become “prayer warriors” to support the city’s campaign against drugs.
“I’m not perfect. We will just we do our best. If we depend on God, it will be easier. Let’s help each other,” he said. (Nanette Guadalquiver pna via ndb)