Romblon, PH’s 2nd drug-free area

CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro — The province of Romblon has been declared drug-free, being the second province to be cleared of illegal drugs in the country by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) after Batanes. Chief Superintendent Wilben Mayor, director of the Police Regional Office 4-B, confirmed the validation and declaration of Romblon as a drug-free area last Monday at a ceremony held at the Romblon State College. While there have been pockets of illegal drugs use in Romblon, the province is known to be peaceful and where the illegal drugs use would not likely thrive, said Mayor. In the course of the year-and-ahalf war on drugs waged by police upon the assumption of President Duterte to power, only 47 illegal drugs personalities were collared in Romblon, including 13 high-value targets tagged by police as the major source of the illegal drugs. (Aaron B. Recuenco and Jerry J. Alcayde)