STA. BARBARA, Pangasinan – Police Regional Office 1 Director Chief Supt. Leopoldo Bataoil lauded the serious awareness and information campaign on the dangers of illegal drugs by retired Deputy Director General Reynaldo Velasco through the Kabataang Panlalawigan Laban sa Ipinagbabawal na Gamot (KAPANALIG) project.
In an interview with local newsmen after the formal start of Victorey Tour de Tercero (General Reynaldo Velasco Cycling Classic) last October 29 where Bataoil served as one of the special guests, the newly-installed Ilocos-Pangasinan police director vowed to fully support the KAPANALIG project through the conduct of more anti-drug seminars in Pangasinan and the Ilocos region.
Unknown to many, Velasco with the support of the Philippine National Police’s Community Relations Group headed by Chief Supt. Joel Goltiao has already conducted more than 10 KAPANALIG anti-drug seminars in the towns of Sta. Barbara, Calasiao and Lingayen participated in by close to 500 youth leaders from the towns of Mangaldan, Bayambang, Malasiqui, San Fabian, Basista, Mapandan, Calasiao, Sta. Barbara and the cities of San Carlos and Dagupan.
During his stints in active service as provincial commander, Velasco effectively conducted KAPANALIG anti-drug seminars in the provinces of Negros Bacolod and Batangas.
Bataoil, a native of Pangasinan like Velasco, said the Victorey Cycling Tour that featured 80 of the province’s premier professional and amateur cyclists is a good vehicle to promote the anti-drug campaign in Region 1.
Last week, Bataoil ordered all units in the region to be vigilant as a mobile illegal drug laboratory reportedly stops and operates anywhere in the region to manufacture methamphetamine, hydrochloride, an illegal substance popularly known as shabu.
“If it is operating in Region 1, no doubt it can operate also in other regions of the country,” he said as the PNP Crime Laboratory in Camp Crame confirmed last October 17 that it was an abandoned mobile shabu laboratory that was discovered by policemen in Burgos town last September 29.
Bataoil asked the people of Pangasinan and Region I to be vigilant and help the police in monitoring the movement of the mobile shabu laboratory and if possible identify the personalities involved.
For his part, Velasco, who also once served as PRO 1 Director, advised the new police regional director to get hard against drug dealers and peddlers and to harness the full support of the citizenry to serve as “Magic Eye” volunteers against illegal drugs. Magic Eye 2910 is one of the pioneering innovative projects by General Velasco when he was Metro Manila police director that was adopted by Singapore Police using text messaging and phone calls from ordinary citizens to report illegal drugs.
It will be recalled that on his first year alone as National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Director from August 2002 to June 2003 , General Velasco dismantled five shabu laboratories in Metro Manila where he recovered P4.2 billion pesos worth of illegal drugs, essential chemicals and laboratory equipment – all accounting for at least 80 percent of the P6-billion pesos reported by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency that year.
In addition, the NCRPO conducted 12,787 operations which resulted in the arrest of 11,173 persons and the filing of 3,550 cases in court.
Likewise, Velasco stressed that he readily supported the just concluded October 29 cycling classic organized by former Tour of the Philippines champion Jess Garcia Jr. since he is an acquaintance way back when was still serving as aide de camp of PC INP Chief Fidel V. Ramos whose office was also a silent supporter of Pangasinan cyclists like Garcia.
“We want to create more opportunities for our local cyclists improve their riding skills for their future big races. At the same time, they can also be our partners in the anti-drug campaign as they practice self-discipline and healthy living,” said Velasco.
He is looking forward to a bigger cycling event covering the whole province of Pangasinan as well as a one-day trek to Baguio City to hone the riding skills of local cyclists in both flat and uphill roads.
