January Drug Seizures in Western Visayas Drop

By Jennifer P. Rendon

The Police Regional Office (PRO) 6 began 2025 with a higher number of anti-narcotics operations under its Birada Semana campaign, although the volume of drugs seized dropped by half compared to the previous month.

From January 6 to 12, PRO-6 conducted 90 anti-illegal drug operations, resulting in the arrest of 114 individuals. These included 14 high-value targets, 97 street-level pushers, and three newly identified drug personalities.

Authorities confiscated 1.730 kilograms of shabu, valued at PHP 11.77 million. This is 50.88 percent lower than the December 2024 haul of 3.496 kilograms, worth PHP 23.77 million.

In December, 78 operations led to the arrest of 104 individuals.

For the January Birada Semana, the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) recorded the highest confiscation with 719 grams of shabu worth PHP 4.89 million.

Previously, the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) had consistently topped the region in drug seizures. However, this month, BCPO confiscated only 139 grams of shabu worth PHP 945,200.

Brigadier General Jack Wanky, Western Visayas police chief, explained the decrease in Bacolod’s numbers, attributing it to their substantial seizures in prior weeks.

Between December 15, 2024, and January 5, 2025, PRO-6 units seized 3.768 kilograms of shabu valued at PHP 25.6 million. Of this, BCPO accounted for PHP 16.5 million, significantly surpassing the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO), which seized drugs worth PHP 6.5 million.

In this week’s operations, ICPO recovered 448 grams of shabu worth PHP 3.046 million, while the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOcPPO) seized 295 grams worth a little over PHP 2 million.

The Antique PPO recovered PHP 408,000 worth of shabu in a single operation, while Capiz PPO seized drugs worth PHP 370,400, and Aklan PPO confiscated shabu valued at PHP 77,792.

Notably, the Regional Police Drug Enforcement Unit (RPDEU) 6, PRO-6’s primary anti-drug unit, did not conduct any anti-narcotics operations during this Birada Semana.

Birada Semana is a weeklong enhanced managing police operations (E-MPO) campaign focused on anti-criminality, arresting wanted persons, combating illegal drugs, and addressing illegal gambling.