Almost 400 drug dependents surrender in Zamboanga del Norte

By Alfonso T. Ruda

DIPOLOG CITY - A few weeks before President Rodrigo R. Duterte took his oath of office as the 16^th president of the Philippines, illegal drug users and pushers all over the country surrendered to police authorities.

In the recent “Kapihan sa Dipolog” held at Sunburst Fried Chicken, Hotel Camila 1 here,  Police Chief Inspector Robert Agda of the Zamboanga del Norte Police Provincial Officereported that almost 400 illegal drug users and pushers have already surrendered to the different municipal police stations in the province.

Agda said majority of them come from the municipality of Labason.

However, due to lack of rehabilitation facilities in the province, Agda said police authorities were forced to get only the names of the surrenderees forrecord purposes.

Agda also confirmed that one police officer involved in illegal drugs is presently re-assigned at the PNP regional office-9 while attending to the complaint filed against him in Zamboanga City.

The police officer admitted that they were surprised of the latest development on the issue, but attributes this to earlier pronouncement of President Duterte to fight against illegal drugs, criminalities and corruption in the government.

“This is the first time in the history of the entire country that this thing happened, that drug users and pushers surrender to the police before we could launch an operation against them,” Agda said.

Agda said with the assurance of all-out support from the commander-in-chief to the law enforcement agencies, the morale of the PNP is very high.

In his inaugural address, President Duterte reiterated his strong campaign against illegal drugs and corruption in the government. He assured that he will provide funds, logistics and protection of law enforcement agencies.