Police vow support to PDEA-ARMM in war vs drugs

• Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1012882
• Wednesday, October 18, 2017

By Edwin Fernandez

COTABATO CITY -- The police here have vowed to continue the campaign against illegal drug personalities in support to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PDEA-ARMM) after President Duterte removed lead roles in the drug war from the police.

The PDEA–ARMM includes Cotabato City, which forms part of Region 12, in its area of operation for being contiguous to Maguindanao, a province component of the autonomous region.

Aside from Maguindanao, the ARMM comprises the cities of Marawi and Lamitan; and the provinces of Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-tawi.

“We will provide intelligence information and support, both manpower and firepower, to the PDEA-ARMM,” Supt. Joane Maganto, Cotabato City PNP deputy director for operations, told reporters Monday.

“Any information about illegal drug activities, drug syndicates, selling, pushing and using of prohibited drugs will be immediately forwarded to the PDEA for appropriate action,” he added.

The city government has been providing intelligence information to police and PDEA-ARMM, which maintains its headquarters here.

With the lead role in the hands of the PDEA-ARMM, police and the city government have vowed to continue supporting the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.

In Maguindanao, Sr. Supt. Agustin Tello, police provincial director, said his office would continue supporting the war on drugs in support roles.

Tello said anyone arrested in possession of prohibited drugs at police checkpoints would be turned over to PDEA, including all the evidences, for further investigation and filing of appropriate charges.