PNP Chief Director General Oscar Albayalde. 黑料社 / Gabriel Pabico Lalu
The number of high-value targets (HVT) of the government鈥檚 war on illegal drugs has increased to 9,972 according to new information from the Philippine National Police (PNP) Oplan Double Barrel, slightly higher than the previous figure of 9,866.
According to PNP Chief Director General Oscar Albayalde, nearly 5,000 HVTs have surrendered to authorities while almost a third of which were charged.
鈥淯p until August 15, a total of 4,959 HVT personalities have surrendered and are now under monitoring and evaluation, while 2,825 others or 28.32 percent were arrested and charge,鈥� Albayalde told reporters during the press briefing in Camp Crame on Monday.
鈥淥nly 258 HVT personalities died in police operations or 2.52 percent out of the 9,972 target personalities,鈥� he added.
Albayalde also said that they are still searching for at least 600 HVTs while more than 300 persons have died outside of legitimate police operations.
鈥淭here are 654 who can no longer be located in their last known addresses and areas of operations, while 322 have become victims of homicide cases under investigation,鈥� he noted.
One of the 654 missing HVTs is controversial businessman and alleged drug trader Peter Lim, who has a pending arrest order for drug cases.聽 Albayalde assured the public that measures were already in place to apprehend Lim for the law to prevail.
鈥淢eron na tayong tracker team dyan, meron ng copy of the warrant ang ating CIDG,鈥� he said.
Continuous anti-crime operations
Albayalde attributed the increase in the number of HVT personalities to intensified operations and constant reassessment of the anti-crime program.
鈥淗indi naman,鈥� Albayalde said when he was asked if he was dismayed with the rise in the number of HVTs.聽鈥淎ctually ito 鈥榶ong resulta ng pagre-revalidate natin.聽 Continuous kasi ito, hindi tayo pwedeng mag-stick lang sa isang listahan.鈥�
He also said that with PNP鈥檚 non-stop operations, there is no need to issue advisories and warn the public on the possible upward trend of crime incidence for the upcoming Christmas season.
鈥淎ctually, sa PNP, wala nang ber-months ngayon.聽From the very beginning, 鈥檡ong intensity ng aming operations, gano鈥檔 din 鈥檡ong intensity, dere-deretso 鈥檡an,鈥� Albayalde said.
鈥淪o hopefully, masira 鈥榶ong trend na pagdating ng mga ber-months tumataas 鈥檡ong聽 ating crime volume.聽 For the past two years hindi na natin nakita 鈥檡ong trend na 鈥檡an,鈥� he said.