Iloilo City ranks 5th in illegal drugs problem
A top official of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) revealed that Iloilo City ranks fifth among the cities in the country when it comes to illegal drug problem. However, the official said the problem is still in the "manageable level" compared in other areas.
PDEA Director General Senior Undersecretary Dionisio Santiago said Manila ranks 1st; Cebu 2nd; Davao 3rd, Cagayan de Oro 4th and Iloilo City fifth. Fifty two percent of the total illegal drug problem is recorded in Manila.
Santiago said the drug problem in the city is still in "manageable level" in spite of being in the fifth rank. He did not cite any parameters that placed the city in the said ranking. No details was provided on the quantity of illegal drugs consumed by city's drug users as well as pushers.
Santiago said In Iloilo City there are six drug lords, one of them already "neutralized" by PDEA. The agency refused to name the drug lord but said he was already sent to jail. There are some 700 persons placed in the PDEA's drug watch list. There is no shabu laboratory in the city or even in the whole region. The region acts as buyer and not producer of shabu, he said.
Meanwhile, the cost of shabu in the national level tremendously increased. A kilo of shabu now cost P10 to P12 million. Before, a kilo of shabu sells at P1.5 million to P2 million.