PRO-12 police now prosecuting 23 drug dealers arrested last week

COTABATO CITY ---- Two drug dealers were killed while 23 others were arrested in a series of police operations in Region 12 in the past seven days.Units of the Police Regional Office-12 planned to arrest 32 drug dealers last week, but got only 23 and shot dead two more for refusing to yield peacefully.The ten other targets of PRO-12’s anti-narcotics operations eluded arrest.Chief Superintendent Marcelo Morales of PRO-12 said Sunday police agents were forced to neutralize Ruben Porsuelo and Bobong Jamelo when they fired at the teams approaching their hideouts in Polomolok town in South Cotabato.Morales said they are targeting the arrest of no fewer than 50 more in Region 12’s adjoining Sultan Kudarat, North Cotabato, South Cotabato and Sarangani provinces in the coming weeks.Region 12 also covers the cities of Cotabato, Kidapawan, Tacurong, Koronadal and General Santos. Our operations are being initiated with the help of provincial and city officials, Morales said.The 23 drug traffickers now in the custody of PRO-12 are to be prosecuted for possession of methamphetamine hydrochloride, most known as shabu. All 23 of them have been charged with violation of Republic Act 9165, which outlawed possession and sale of dangerous drugs and other regulated substances.In the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, 217 were arrested for violation of RA 9165 from November 2017 to March 1, 2018, according to the Police Regional Office-ARMM.Chief Superintendent Graciano Mijares, director of PRO-ARMM, said Sunday three uncooperative drug traffickers were killed in separate shootouts with plainclothes agents during the period.Mijares, citing reports from ARMM’s five provincial police directors, said 217 drug peddlers were also arrested in the past four months.The ARMM police has jurisdiction over Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur, which are both in mainland Mindanao, and the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.Mijares said 154 ARMM residents hooked to drugs yielded in the past four months and promised to reform for good in the presence of barangay elders and local officials.