Rising Drug Seizures in Pampanga Prompt Call for Official Inquiry
Concerned about the negative reputation brought by significant illegal drug seizures in his province, Senior Deputy Speaker and Pampanga 3rd District Representative Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr. expressed intentions on Friday, Sept. 29, to initiate a House investigation to trace the origins of these illicit substances.
Gonzales is disturbed and alarmed by the recent drug seizures tarnishing the image of Pampanga, a province recognized as a growth center in Central Luzon, not a hotspot for drug trafficking.
The lawmaker is determined to address this issue promptly and will propose a House resolution to commence an official inquiry.
This announcement followed the revelation by Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla that 530 kilos of “shabu,” or poor man’s cocaine, were confiscated in a warehouse in Mexico town.
Remulla disclosed that the illegal drugs entered the Philippines via the Subic Freeport, and the individuals, including some foreigners, connected to this shipment are currently being sought.
The Mexico incident is the most recent in a string of drug seizures in Pampanga, Gonzales highlighted.
In the previous month, authorities discovered 200 kilos of shabu in an abandoned vehicle in a supermarket parking lot in Barangay Mabiga, City of Mabalacat, adding to the province’s drug-related concerns.
The combined street value of the drugs seized in Mexico and Mabalacat is estimated at a whopping P4.9 billion, a figure that underscores the gravity of the situation.
Gonzales, along with his fellow legislators, is keen to uncover the identities of those behind these drug shipments, the methods of their entry into the country, and their distribution networks.
The recent drug hauls underscore the pervasive illegal drug issue in the Philippines, prompting Gonzales to call for stringent measures.
He advocates for the cancellation of business licenses of those in the Subic Freeport implicated in the smuggling and the facilities where the drugs were discovered and confiscated.
Gonzales also praised the efforts of law enforcement agencies that have successfully intercepted illegal drug shipments, including a haul worth over P400 million along the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) in Pampanga in mid-2022.
The lawmaker calls for enhanced vigilance and monitoring by these agencies, as well as local and barangay officials, to curb drug trafficking and related criminal activities in their jurisdictions.
Gonzales emphasized that addressing the drug issue and other illegal activities is a shared responsibility between the national government and local government units (LGUs).