MANILA – According to Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, police would not stop until all notorious drug personalities are caught across the country.
Guillermo made this statement after police agents from the Police Regional Office (PRO) in Bicol Region confiscated a kilogram of shabu worth PHP6.8 million from a known drug suspect who was slain in a gunfight in Camalig, Albay, last Friday.
“I commend the PRO-5 personnel for this successful operation. This shows the PNP remains relentless in our campaign against illegal drugs and we will not stop until all notorious drug personalities are caught,” Eleazar said in his remark on Saturday.
Tupas, a high-value target, was conducting business with an undercover police operative in Barangay Quiringay when he pulled his weapon after becoming aware of the police operation.
He was injured and died while being brought to a medical facility for treatment by police officers.
The accused was identified as armed and dangerous owing to his involvement in a series of large-scale illegal drug transactions, notably shabu, in the Bicol Region.
Tupas, according to intelligence data, was actively distributing a large quantity of drugs in Legazpi City and adjacent municipalities.
According to PRO-5 reports, Tupas received his illegal drug supply from one “Malik,” who is currently jailed at the New Bilibid Prisons.
Eleazar confirmed that the PNP is looking into how persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) are still able to conduct illegal drug transactions while imprisoned.
He stated that the PNP has been working with other agencies, specifically the Bureau of Corrections and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, to put a stop to PDLs making further illicit activities, particularly narcotics deals, while in jail.
“Kasama sa ating sisilipin ay ang posibilidad na may kasabwat ang mga ito na mga jail o prison personnel kaya nakalulusot ang mga ganitong iligal na transaksyon (Among the things we will look at is the possibility that these PDLs have prison personnel as accomplices that they have been able to conduct illegal transactions even while in prison),” he said.
