AGLIPAY SACKS 27 CL COPS AFTER FAILING NARCOTICS TEST

CAMP OLIVAS, Pam-panga-Deputy Director General Edgar B. Aglipay
ordered here on Wednesday the summary dismissal from the service of at
least 27 Central Luzon policemen found to be users of illegal drugs.

Aglipay arrived here yesterday for a briefing on the current police
drive against illegal drug trafficking in which he gathered that at
least 148 barangays in Central Luzon have been affected by illegal
drugs operation.

A briefing presented by Sr. Supt Amado Paneda, deputy regional
director for administration, showed that Tarlac has the most number of
barangays beset by drug operations. Affected in Nueva Ecija are 18
barangays; Zambales, 11; Angeles, 4; and Olongapo City, 3.

Chief Supt. Vidal Querol, Central Luzon police regional director,
reported to Aglipay that of the 798 policemen who underwent drug
testing, 27 were found positive.

Four of them have been discharged from the service and the rest are
facing suspension pending result of summary dismissal
proceedings.

Aglipay directed Central Luzon police authorities to further intensify
their drive against illegal drugs trafficking and aim for drug-free
barangays all over the region.

Aglipay is the commander of the police's Anti-Illegal Drugs Special
Operation Task Force, which has been tasked to eradicate illegal drugs
trafficking in the country.

During the briefing here, Aglipay gathered that at least 878 drug
pushers or users have been neutralized in Central Luzon, which
translated to an average of 125 users and pushers per month.

At least 195 drug pushers and users were arrested in Bulacan, trailed
by Olongapo with 152 and Pampanga with 120.

Aglipay commended the police in these three places for neutralizing
illegal drugs pushers in their areas.

A total of 304,456 grams of shabu and 14,949 grams of marijuana worth
more than P609.28 million were confiscated since January alone.

Querol said that local police authorities have conducted seminars and
information dissemination campaigns especially in school campuses on
the effects of illegal drugs.

In other project, the Central Luzon PNP is rehabilitating at least 499
drug patients, 453 of them males, at the Central Luzon Drug
Rehabilitation Center in Maga-lang, Pampanga.