Treñas to meet with managers, owners of establishments on illegal drugs problem
City Mayor Jerry Treñas will meet with owners of establishments within the Smallville complex along Sen. Benigno Aquino Avenue (Diversion Road) to discuss the report of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-6 that the nightlife strip is being used as drop-off points of illegal drugs.
Treñas said owners and managers of establishments in the area would be called for a meeting to strengthen the mechanism on minimizing if not to totally eradicating the problem.
PDEA-6 reported during the recent City Peace and Order Council (CPOC) meeting that at least three establishments within the complex and two apartments nearby are drop centers of the illegal drug transactions.
The report was discussed by Paul Ledesma, PDEA's assistant regional director, although it was not contained in the copies of the report distributed to reporters as well as participants in the CPOC meeting.
Ledesma refused to give further comments when asked for an interview over his statement during the CPOC meeting. He requested that the media should only base their report on the copies of the PDEA report.
Ledesma likewise asked that he should be spared from the report and should not be quoted as the source, instead only name PDEA as the source of the report.
During the CPOC meeting, the media were allowed to attend the discussions particularly in the state of illegal drugs problem in the city. Members of the Iloilo City Hall Press Corps were present when Ledesma made the report.
Treñas said the report regarding restaurants and other establishments used as venues of illegal drugs transactions is not new. He said, it is also happening in other key cities in the country.
But, Treñas said the police and the PDEA should take actions to stop the practice if indeed it is true.
The News Today (TNT) in an independent investigation gathered that the influx of repeat-customers in the "selling area" are in their teens to early 20s. Business hours start usually late evenings to early hours of the morning.
Two of the most-sought stocks sold on a "personal basis" and "strictly cash" are small packets of Shabu and club-drug Ecstasy.
Selling price reportedly range from P10,000 to P12,000 for Shabu, a significant increase from its 'regular street-price' of P7,000. Ecstasy on the other hand is said to be selling like hotcakes priced at P3,000 to P3,500 per tablet.
Ecstasy is one of the most-used illicit drug in the country with proven harmful effects on users.