PNP tracking down source of drugs seized from Singson

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has launched operations to track down the source of the drugs seized from Ilocos Sur Rep. Ronald Singson in Hong Kong last week, PNP chief Director General Jesus Verzosa said on Saturday. Verzosa said the PNP is closely coordinating with Hong Kong authorities to determine whether the cocaine confiscated from Singson originated from Eastern Samar, where almost two tons of illegal drugs were said to have been dumped last December. He added that he has already directed PNP Eastern Visayas Director Chief Superintendent Rey Lanada to lead the investigation on the source of the illegal drugs seized from Singson. “The verification will help us determine the extent of the proliferation of cocaine from Eastern Samar. This will be a part of the investigation. It will help us in the future operation to delimit the shipment of illegal drugs," he said. Singson, son of Ilocos Sur Governor Luis “Chavit" Singson, was arrested last July 11 at the Hong Kong International Airport for allegedly carrying 26.1 grams of cocaine and two tablets of Valium. He was then charged with trafficking of dangerous drugs pursuant to the Hong Kong’s Dangerous Drug Ordinance at the Tsuen Wan Magistracy's Courts. Verzosa said that it is important to determine the source of the drug to “trace down the route of trafficked drugs," especially high-grade ones. “We’ll try to compare the characteristics of the cocaine, (since) we found out that the ones seized from Samar was 73.59 percent pure, meaning it’s really high-grade cocaine," he added. An estimated P325-million worth of cocaine has already been recovered from Eastern Samar this year, according to the country’s Dangerous Drugs Board. Just this week, local residents from Eastern Samar have already surrendered to authorities 18 bricks of cocaine, which they had recovered along the shorelines of the province.—Andreo C. Calonzo/JV, GMANews.TV