Police nab almost 3,000 “repeat drug offenders”

November 8, 2020

Nearly 3,000 drug suspects who were previously released following the plea bargaining agreements were again arrested for allegedly committing the same crime during the last four years, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Police Colonel Ysmael Yu, PNP spokesperson, said on Saturday that the 2,794 "repeat drug offenders" were among those 19,947 drug suspects who were freed after they availed of the plea bargaining agreements from 2016 to date.

He said another 244 drug suspects released through plea bargaining agreements were arrested for their alleged involvement in other criminal activities.

Data from the Crime Information Reporting and Analysis System (CIRAS) of the PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM) showed 66 of the repeat offenders were appealing anew to avail of the plea bargaining agreement.

"The PNP is providing the judiciary and prosecution services with records of these repeat offenders for reference in further actions,” Yu said.

PNP CIRAS records showed a total of 329,171 drug suspects were nabbed by the anti-drug operating teams of the PNP and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) from July 1, 2016 to October 15, 2020.

In the National Capital Region (NCR), a total of 101,058 alleged drug peddlers and users were apprehended, while in CALABARZON, and Central Luzon, 73,458 and 41,755, respectively.

CIRAS also reported that 38,867 drug suspects were arrested in anti-illegal drug operations in Central Visayas, while 11,331 in Northern Mindanao, and 10,040 in Western Visayas during the same 4-year period. Ella Dionisio/DMS