MANILA – Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said police authorities will not stop until all notorious drug personalities are apprehended throughout the country.

Guillermo made this remark after police operatives in Police Regional Office (PRO) in Bicol Region seized a one kilogram of shabu worth PHP6.8 million from a notorious drug suspect who was killed in a shootout in Camalig, Albay last Friday.

“I commend the PRO-5 personnel for this successful operation. This shows the PNP remains relentless in our campaign against illegal drugs and we will not stop until all notorious drug personalities are caught,” Eleazar said in a statement on Saturday.

Tupas, identified as a high-value target, was transacting with an undercover police operative in Barangay Quiringay, when he drew his firearm after sensing the police operation.

He was wounded and died while he was being rushed by policemen to a medical facility for treatment.

The suspect was tagged as armed and dangerous due to his involvement in a series of illegal drug transactions in huge quantities, specifically, shabu, in the Bicol Region.

According to the intelligence reports, Tupas was actively distributing a huge volume of drugs in Legazpi City and nearby municipalities.

PRO-5 reports indicated that Tupas obtained his supply of illegal drugs from one “Malik,” who is presently detained at the New Bilibid Prisons.

Eleazar assured that the PNP is investigating how persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) are still able to make illegal drug transactions while behind bars.

He said the PNP has been coordinating with other agencies particularly with the Bureau of Corrections and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology “to put a stop to PDLs making further illegal transactions, particularly drugs, while in jail.”

“Kasama sa ating sisilipin ay ang posibilidad na may kasabwat ang mga ito na mga jail o prison personnel kaya nakalulusot ang mga ganitong iligal na transaksyon (Among the things we will look at is the possibility that these PDLs have prison personnel as accomplices that they have been able to conduct illegal transactions even while in prison),” he said. (PNA)