TACLOBAN CITY – The PNP regional chief here said that with the sudden increase in the price of shabu many users can no longer afford to buy the illegal substance to the relief of the police who continue to intensify the campaign against illegal drugs.

Chief Supt. Dionisio Coloma, Jr. told reporters in a get together with the members of the PNP press corps that the price of shabu has increased in Eastern Samar from P150 per sachet to P250 brought about by the financial crises.

“Maraming nagulat sa presyo ng shabu sa Eastern Samar; kaya mabuti pa iwanan na nila ang business na ‘yan sa hirap ng buhay ngayon,” Coloma commented.

Coloma stressed that with the full support of the administration of Gov. Ben Evardone he is optimistic that drug trafficking in Eastern Samar could be eradicated until the province will become “drug free” in the first six months of 2005.

“Gov. Evardone and I is committed to work together, so that we can declare Eastern Samar a drug free province in the next six months,” Coloma added.

Recently,. Evardone has allotted some P100, 000 fro the anti-illegal drug program of the PNP in his province.

“I am very thankful to- Gov. Evardone for his support, malaki ang maitutulong sa pondo na ‘yan, para gamitin for example sa buy-bust operation, at iba pang intelligence monitoring sa kampanya ito,” the police director also said.

With the increase in the price of shabu, at least the number of drug users will be reduced because the ordinary people will no longer be able to buy.

Meanwhile, the first command conference will be held on Jan. 5, 2005 after the traditional courtesy call, of the police officers to the police director were close to 200 police top officials will be joining the said courtesy call.

Coloma stressed that during this command conference, all PNP provincial directors in the six provinces will be giving their accomplishment report during 2004 and this will be followed by its respective program of action in 2005.

During this occasion, according to Coloma, he will be reiterating his police unit commanders to still focus on the four priority campaign of the police in the region such as the anti-illegal drug campaign followed by the enforcement of the anti-illegal logging, gambling and against illegal fishing.

The police director also said that of the six PNP provincial offices in the region Samar PNP provincial office toped the accomplishment for the year 2004.