(Eagle News)–The Philippine National Police has re-arrested over 2000 individuals who were released through a plea bargaining agreement over the past four years.
The PNP said the 2,794 individuals were among 19,947 individuals arrested due to drug-related charges who engaged in drug-related activities anew.
Another 244 drug suspects released through the plea bargaining agreement were re-arrested for involvement in other criminal activities, the PNP said.
According to Col. Ysmael Yu, PNP spokesperson, based on the Crime Information Reporting and Analysis System of the PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management, 66 of the repeat offenders are appealing anew to avail of the plea bargaining agreement.
According to Yu, PNP CIRAS records show 329,171 drug suspects were arrested by anti-drug operating teams of the PNP and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency from July 1, 2016, to October 15, 2020.
In the National Capital Region, CIRAS data shows 101,058 drug peddlers and users have been nabbed, while in CALABARZON, and Central Luzon, the total number of suspects arrested were 73,458 and 41,755, respectively.
The PNP said based on the CIRAS report, anti-illegal drug operations in Central Visayas saw the arrest of 38,867 drug suspects, 11,331 in Northern Mindanao, and 10,040 in Western Visayas during the same 4-year period.
