ICPO sees 90% decline in Bakhaw drug activities
Barely a month after the establishment of Task Force Bakhaw, the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) has reported a 90 percent decline in the illegal drug trade in the village, long known as one of the city’s drug havens.
Senior Supt. Marieto Valerio, ICPO officer-in-charge, said the Task Force Bakhaw has monitored a dramatic decrease in the number of people coming to the village to engage in illegal drug activities.
“Before, ten persons who go to the area are deemed to be drug users, now maybe only one out of ten,” Valerio said.
He, however, admitted the 10 percent remaining job ahead would still be a tough task.
For one, Valerio said a big-time drug pusher in Iloilo City is living in Brgy. Bakhaw and, by all indications, has not stopped his trade.
“Until now, we are yet to neutralize him,” he said.
Valerio said a number of drug pushers in the area merely transferred their operations to other areas following the establishment of Task Force Bakhaw.
According to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency 6, the drug pushers in Bakhaw might have just relocated to barangays Simon Ledesma, and Desamparados in Jaro district; Boulevard and Habog-habog in Molo district; and Tanza Baybay in the City Proper area.
To stop a possible spillover to other city’s drug havens, barangays Malipayon and Tanza-Esperanza in City Proper, the Police Regional Office 6 ha also created a sub-task group on anti-illegal drugs for the two areas.
Valerio is positive the ICPO would be able to pull it through.
“Our operations will continue in the area (Bakhaw) until it will be cleared,” he said.
Valerio said that PDEA 6 operatives and personnel of the Iloilo City Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group are also closely monitoring the movements of drug pushers who have left Bakhaw to continue their drug trade in other areas.*
