PDEA VERIFIES SPREAD OF ECSTASY PILLS IN ORO

THE regional office of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 10
disclosed they are now investigating reports of ecstasy pills being sold in
some of the bars being frequented by rich and influential families in
Cagayan de Oro City.

This as the same agency debunked reports that Cagayan de Oro is a "dropping
point" for drugs coming from the northern part of the country.

PDEA 10 Chief Rene Orbe told Sun.Star that they have received reports that
there could be some pushers for the illegal drug known as ecstacy pills at
some of the resto bars here.

"We are now looking into this report and these elite groups," he said.

Ecstasy pills are reportedly priced at around P1,500 to P2,000 per tablet.
It is reputed to be the drugs used by movie actors and actresses along with
those who can afford it.

Orbe believes that the supply of expensive drugs such as ecstasy pills have
become "scarce" even including shabu.

"The more scarce a drug is the more expensive it is...this is why people
who are into drugs are now going back to marijuana," he said.

Meanwhile, Orbe said Cagayan de Oro city is not a "dropping point" for
drugs coming from the Luzon and Visayas islands.

He said most illegal drugs are however dropped in Ozamis and Iligan areas
rather than here in the city.

"Dili ta dropping point but entry point lang ta diri kay adto mana nila
dad-on sa lain nga mga lugar (Cagayan de Oro city is not a dropping point
but an entry point for illegal drugs as these drug organizations bring them
elsewhere)," he said adding that most of these illegal drugs are being
taken to Lanao del Norte like that of the towns of Bumbaran and Wao while
others are being pushed at Iligan City.

Orbe explained that this is why they are trying to tighten entrance/exit
checkpoints, port and terminal areas of the city.

"Some are taking detours but it would not be long before we would be
closing in on them," he said in Visayan.

He then cited Cagayan de Oro-Bukidnon-Marawi detour being taken by these
drug organizations rather than the shorter Cagayan de Oro-Iligan-Marawi route.

Nevertheless, Orbe said they are doing all they can to rid the region of
illegal drugs. Currently, he said Region 10 is the second to the last
region that has the most number of drug related incidences.

"In Mindanao, first is Zamboanga followed by Davao then Region 12, fourth
is our Region 10 then Caraga," he said.