Mindanaotoday.com | 638 arrested, 3 killed in PNP NorMin anti-drug ops
By: Bobby Lagsa
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The Philippine National Police-10 (PNP-10) said that since August 7, 2022, they have conducted 543 illegal drug operations across Northern Mindanao which resulted to 638 arrests and death of three suspects.
Col. Wilbur Salaguste, PNP-10 Regional Operations and Management Division chief, in a press conference said that it was unfortunate that three persons were killed in a legitimate anti-illegal drugs operation in region 10.
Maj. Joanne Navarro, PNP-10 spokesperson, identified the casualties as John Jabiniar who drowned in a beach in Barangay Cugman on August 13, 2022.
Navarro said that Jabiniar jumped into the sea as he tried to escape the police.
In an interview with radio station iFM and posted in its social media page, Maj. Rutherford Ondin, Cugman police station commander, said that Jabiniar bolted from the buy-bust scene and escaped from the police by jumping over fences before jumping into the sea.
“Our police officers ran after him. He was like Spiderman jumping over walls and fences before jumping into the sea where he was cornered,” Ondin said.
Ondin added that sensing that Jabiniar was drowning, police came to his rescue and was taken to the Northern Mindanao Medical Center where attending physicians declared him dead.
Another suspect has died on August 21, 2022 in Quezon, Bukidnon.
“Joseph Pateres died in a police operation when they were about to serve a warrant of arrest for attempted murder against [him]. Pateres shot and wounded a police officer, prompting the police to fire back. It was later discovered that he had a suspected shabu in his remains, so it was counted also as drug case,” Navarro said.
Navarro added that on September 6, 2022, the Kibawe police station in Bukidnon killed Albert Colineras in a police operation when it served a warrant of arrest for illegal drugs.
“Colineras was Bukidnon province’s Number 6 most wanted criminal,” Navarro said, adding that Colineras engaged the police officers in a firefight.
“As you can see, we arrested so many, but it is sad that three died in police operations,” Salaguste said.
He said that since August 7 to date, the police have seized 2.536 kilograms of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu with an estimated street value of P17.246 million.
The PNP-10 also seized 18.2 kilograms of Marijuana with street value of 2.18 million pesos, he added.
Salaguste said that the police are doing its best to counter and get rid of illegal drugs but also asked the support of the public.
“We need the help of the family, the church, the school and community to help educate our kids against the dangers of illegal drugs. We cannot fight drugs alone, we need your help,” he said. (MT)
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