By Amal Ryan Rinabor
Davao Today intern
DAVAO CITY – Police are near completing the recovery of the 64 high grade cocaine bricks that snuck into the city last March as two more bricks were surrendered to authorities over the Holy Week.
Authorities said a man from Panabo City surrendered two bricks over the Holy Week to the Bunawan Police Station, which turned over the items to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
The search by authorities has now yielded 62 bricks since March 22 when authorities discovered some 27 bricks stashed in a container van from Sumifru.
In a press conference Monday at Grand Men Seng Hotel, Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said authorities now are zeroing in on two remaining bricks missing and they have an idea who is holding them.
“More or less we have an idea on who we are looking for,” said Duterte
He called out the persons to surrender the bricks and warned of consequence if these persons refused to cooperate.
“I hope that kung kinsa ang nag gunit ana maluoy ka sa imung kaugalingon, kung naa kay pamilya gi-buhi pangita og lain panginabuhi, ayaw na kay ma-biyuda imu asawa diha (Whoever keeps the remaining bricks of cocaine should feel pity for himself, if he has a family to feed, he should look for another opportunity, he should stop that job so his wife wouldn’t become a widow).” Duterte said.
Over the past three weeks, authorities have either seized the missing bricks from buy-bust operations or recovered it by people who “voluntary surrendered” the items after Duterte announced those who possessed the items will not be facing charges.
Duterte also revealed that PDEA is having leads in their investigation on who is behind the shipment of the drugs.
“They are already tracking them and they already have a clue where to find them,” the mayor told reporters.
He said the PDEA is working with investigators in the international community as they believed the shipment came from a foreign country and was placed in transit in the city.
Duterte said people connected in the transaction will be prosecuted.
He also said he would have the seized cocaine burned in public.
“I would like to see the cocaine destroyed here not because i don’t trust the PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency) but for the purpose of showing people of Davao, kasi dito nakita (because it was found here), makikita nila na nasusunog talaga (They will see that these were burned),” Duterte said. (davaotoday.com)
