Residents of the low-cost housing community in Cadawinonan, Dumaguete City, expressed fear about the worsening proliferation of illegal drugs in their area.

 A homeowner, who refused to be identified, said that, arrests were made every now and then but supplies continue to come in.

A buy-bust operation was held yesterday morning in the area where the suspect, Jaclon Gonzales Ramirez, 33, yielded 28 sachets of suspected shabu granules, an improvised tooter, and marked money.

He was nabbed by the Special Operations Group, headed by Senior Police Officer 3 Allen June Germudo, who said that Ramirez is listed as one of the target personalities of the SOG who is allegedly capable of disposing of at least 50 grams of shabu per week.

Another buy-bust operation was conducted at the housing site, yesterday afternoon, and Christopher Custodio was caught in the act of handing a sachet of suspected shabu to a police poseur-buyer, Insp. Ryan Jay Orapa, head of the Provincial Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group, said.

Meanwhile, a citywide drug abuse prevention and control summit is scheduled October 8-9 at the Plaza Mar and at Quezon Park, for barangay captains and kagawads, who are chairmen of their Peace and Order Councils.

City Anti-Drugs Abuse Council executive director, Rosalio Macalipay, said the summit will also be attended by the presidents of housing associations in Dumaguete, women’s group Kalipi, and the Gender Watch Against Violence and Exploitation.

Also invited are representatives from the Bureau of Customs, the Philippine Ports Authority, and the Philippine Coast Guard, and speakers from the Dangerous Drugs Board, the Philippine Drugs Enforcement Administration, and the PNP.

Macalipay said there is the need to address the drug menace through the collaborated efforts and vigilance of the community, and the determined campaign of law enforcers to prevent the supply of drugs from coming to Dumaguete and nearby areas.*JG

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