ICPO vows sustained anti-drug drive

By Jennifer P. Rendon

There’s no stopping the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) from intensifying its anti-illegal drug campaign on the back of successful operations in the past days.

“We will sustain our illegal drugs campaign, as long as there are peddlers that abound in Iloilo City,” Colonel Joeresty Coronica, Iloilo City police director, said.

Since January 27, 2023, the day Coronica formally assumed as ICPO chief, city cops have mounted 23 anti-illegal drug operations, including 21 buy-busts.

Iloilo City Police Station 5, which covers Mandurriao district, posted the most number of operations at six while ICPS3 (Jaro district) and the City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU) conducted four operations each.

The operations led to the arrest of 34 persons – 27 suspected pushers and 7 alleged drug users.

Coronica said the different police units also confiscated 210 grams of shabu valued at P1,428,423.

Coronica said the series of operations might reduce the supply in Iloilo City.

“But this is the time that we should be more aggressive in our campaign. We should not give room for illegal drug pushers to do their business here,” he said.

The CDEU arrested over the weekend a suspected high-value individual (HVI) drug personality with more than P1 million worth of illegal drugs.

Praud Joan Animas, 43, was collared during a buy-bust operation at his house in Barangay Lanit, Jaro district.

Animas used to reside in Barangay Bakhaw, Mandurriao, which was earlier considered as a hotbed of the illegal drug trade in Iloilo City.