31 wanted persons nabbed in Cordillera; no crime in 57 towns

CAMP DANGWA, La Trinidad, Benguet -- Thirty-one wanted persons, four of them listed as most wanted persons were arrested, while 57 towns in the region recorded zero crime incidents Sept 24. to 30, the regional police public information office said.
    Based on records from the Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division, Baguio City Police Office had highest number of arrests, with 12, followed by the Benguet Police Provincial Office with nine; Ifugao PPO, 5; Abra and Kalinga PPOs with two each and Mountain Province with one.
    Of the four MWPs, three were most wanted personalities at municipal level with one provincial.
    Meanwhile, as a result of the intensified police presence, 57 municipalities in the region and two police stations in Baguio City recorded zero crime incidents in these areas during the same week.
    Zero crime incidents were recorded in 23 municipalities in Abra, seven towns in Benguet; Kalinga, 5; Ifugao, 8; Mountain Province. 8 and six in Apayao.
    In Baguio, Naguilian Aurora Hill police station also recorded zero crime incidents out of 10 police stations in Baguio City.

Baguio eyes new tactic in anti-drug campaign 

By Gaby B. Keith

BAGUIO CITY -- This city is implementing new methodology and different approach in its ongoing anti-drug campaign.
Mayor Benjamin Magalong told the city hall officials, employees and guests during flag-raising ceremony a few days back that he was referring to an insight he learnt when he attended a Coalition Against Illegal Drugs seminar in Dallas, Texas last July.
The mayor said the new anti-illegal drug approach focuses on "demand reduction."
    "That's the reason why prior to my foreign travel, I decided to hold in abeyance the city's strategic planning on anti-drugs program for 2024 because we would like to get new ideas and concepts for us to be able to change our 'business as usual' approach on illegal drugs, especially now that things have changed and we have a new environment," said Magalong.
    Mayor Benjamin Magalong told the city hall officials, employees and guests during flag-raising ceremony a few days back that he was referring to an insight he learnt when he attended a Coalition Against Illegal Drugs seminar in Dallas, Texas last July.
    The mayor said the new anti-illegal drug approach focuses on "demand reduction."
    "That's the reason why prior to my foreign travel, I decided to hold in abeyance the city's strategic planning on anti-drugs program for 2024 because we would like to get new ideas and concepts for us to be able to change our 'business as usual' approach on illegal drugs, especially now that things have changed and we have a new environment," said Magalong.
    The mayor revealed that the city government has "practically and significantly" reduced the number of drug-affected villages in the Summer Capital.
    "Kaya kailangan na rin nating baguhin iyong ating mga approaches at hindi pwede iyong dati nating ginagawa in the past several years (We really need to change our approach because the previous ones are no longer reliable)," he stressed.
    Magalong stressed the city needs to rationalize its anti-illegal drugs campaign and introduce new methodologies and approaches, especially in the aspect of demand reduction.
 

Ifugao police test negative for drugs

LAGAWE, Ifugao – A total of 170 police officers of Ifugao Police Provincial Office and 1501st Maneuver Company of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 15 were tested for drugs and all of them yielded negative results. 
    Lt. Col. Joseph B. Cayat, officer-in-charge of Ifugao PPO, said police officers were randomly selected during accounting of personnel.
    Testing was administered by the Ifugao Provincial Forensic Unit here in Camp Dunuan Sept. 29.
All urine specimens collected reportedly yielded negative results for methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) and marijuana, both dangerous drugs, the regional public information office said. 
    The regular random drug test is being administered to PNP personnel as part of Internal Cleansing Program of the Philippine National Police and with drug-free workplace.