Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) – Taguig made “a serious dent” in its “zero-tolerance” drive against illegal drug syndicates in just the first half of 2015, with the police arresting 114 suspected drug traffickers, among them five of the city’s 10 most wanted illegal drug personalities.
The numbers of arrests increased by close to 70% over last year’s figure of 68, which included two high-profile suspects.
Lito Laparan, Taguig City public information officer, shared these figures in a statement issued on Sunday, August 9.
Suspects fall one after another
The last big suspect to be captured was the fourth in the top 10 list – Richard Silvestre, who was nabbed, along with six others, on Saturday, August 8.
The operation yielded 40 grams of shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) worth about P200,000.
Last week, police collared Isidro Llagas, 44, the seventh in the hotlist.
Last July, Last July, police also captured the eighth suspect in the top 10 list – Mardie Talampas, alias Adie and Madam.
In the same month, anti-drug agents also arrested Rawie Castro, the fifth in the Taguig hotlist, along with four other suspects, in two operations in the city.
Undercover agents arrested the suspects while trying to sell them shabu on two occasions.
Earlier this year, members of the Abone Group were collared, with police confiscating some 108.6 grams of shabu.
Jackie Abone, one of those arrested, was listed as the No. 2 Most Wanted by the Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group and No. 10 in the Illegal Drugs Target Personalities list of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).
A few years ago, prominent members of the Tinga Drug Syndicate, which included Joana Tinga and Henry Tinga, were captured in a raid in Barangay Sta. Ana.
The police were also able to capture Elisa “Ely” Tinga, the third in 10 most wanted list and an alleged key member of the same syndicate.
For the first half of this year, drug busts have yielded a total of 213.997 grams of shabu and 37.804 grams of marijuana, according to Senior Supt. Arthur Felix Asis, city police chief.
The police have been conducting their anti-illegal drug operations in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Dangerous Drugs Board, Asis added.
Firm stand against illegal drugs
Mayor Lani Cayetano praised the Taguig City Police Station for the arrest of key suspects.
“This is a victory worth mentioning because as we put more pushers behind bars, we take off more illegal drugs in our streets and consequently out of the reach of our citizens, especially our children,” Cayetano said.
“This is also to strongly reiterate what has been our stand in the local government: that illegal drugs have no place in our community. I commend the Taguig police for such exemplary work.”
On assuming her post in 2010, Cayetano launched an intensified war against illegal drug syndicates, declaring her city “hotspot.”
