ANTI-DRUG AGENCY BARES ACCOMPLISHMENTS

THE neutralization of two drug groups highlights the accomplishments
of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) regional office on
its sixth anniversary this month.

With the theme "Prevent, Destroy and Enforce as We Aim for a Drug-Free
Philippines," Chief Inspector Edgar Apalla, officer-in-charge of the
PDEA regional office, said this "marks off our accomplishments for the
past 12 months in our fight for a Cordillera community liberated from
the dangerous drugs trade and abuse, and drug-related crimes."

He said with the arrest of three members of the Santol Boys drug group
named Juan Asislo, Jose Astudillo and Samuel Pal-iwen, the group is
now considered "deactivated."

Confiscated from the trio during the buy-bust operation at Green
Valley, Dontogan, Baguio City last May 13 was P2.75 million worth of
marijuana in brick form.

Apalla said the group was responsible for the traffic of marijuana at
the boundary of Benguet and La Union, particularly in Kibungan, Benguet.

He said the suspects were called the Santol Boys Group because most of
them are from Santol, La Union.

Likewise, the capture of Rommel Aguho, who was said to be the
assistant team leader of the Manfoforong drug group, by joint Pdea and
Bulanao policemen in Bulanao, Tabuk City, Kalinga on December 8
brought about the dismantling of their group.

According to the Pdea official, the group was engaged in transporting
dangerous drugs in Mountain Province and Kalinga.

"Manfoforong" means "jail escapee" in the local dialect. The group was
named as such since it was composed of jail breakers.

Aguho was first arrested by policemen for attempted rape, but was
booted out of the Benguet Provincial Jail.

He was surrendered later by his mother, but escaped again soon
after.

On March 20, 2006, he was caught red-handed with P11.8 million worth
of marijuana in brick form in Bontoc, Mountain Province.

Nine days after, he again fled from prison with three
others.

He was apprehended December 8 last year.

In addition, with the arrest of two members of the Paclos drug group
last May 6 with P3 million worth of marijuana in brick form, and
another two members last July 12 with P375,000 worth of the same
illegal drug, Apalla said the group is believed to be almost 70
percent neutralized.

The group got its name from its elusive leader, identified as Leswit
Paclos.

Apalla explained that the Paclos Group carries out its illicit trade
on marijuana in Benguet, La Union, Baguio City and Metro Manila.

Another accomplishment of the Pdea in the Cordillera was the uprooting
or confiscation of P111 million worth of fully-grown marijuana plants
and dried leaves during an eradication operation conducted in Kibungan
and Bakun, both in Benguet, and in Santol, La Union last January 29 to
31.