PDEA to strengthen operations

PHILIPPINE Drug Enforcement Agency Cordillera Administrative Region (PDEA-CAR) maintains to strengthen anti- illegal

drug operations in the region.

Regional Director and chair of the oversight committee on Barangay Drug Clearing Operations Edgar Saldivar Apalla said continuous monitoring is being done for drug personalities.

Last week, Apalla said Barangays Tacadang and Badeo, all in Kibungan were downgraded from seriously drug affected to moderately drug affected barangays by the oversight committee on drug clearing operations.

Validations and efforts with the police have monitored seriously affected areas following the onset of the war against drugs.

Kibungan remains to be a hotspot for top marijuana cultivation.

PDEA strengthens monitoring and continues negation operations in the province. “In our assessment hopefully, they will not come back,” Apalla said.

PDEA-Cordillera is manned by an 83- man strong staff including agents, administrative, and technical members.

“The bottom line, we are seeking also the help of barangay officials and officers and members of the Barangay Ant-Drug Abuse Council (BADAC) to report to PDEA illegal drug activities. Barangays should also monitor previous drug surrenderers plus the new people transcending in barangays who are suspected that they might be one,” Apalla said.

From January 2017 to October 20, AntiDrugs operation conducted by the drug agency included 273 intel and negation operations with operations done in coordination with the other law enforcement units like the Philippine National Police, National Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, and Philippine Army.

President Rodrigo Duterte withdraw the Philippine National Police in the implementation of the Oplan Double Barrel against high-value drug targets, PDEA is now tasked to conduct antiillegal drug operations.

Appalla said the agency will make the adjustments as they have been implementing drug operations even before Oplan Tokhang.

PDEA continue its efforts of Information Education Campaign and convince drug users to surrender in the province through communitybased programs, and religious groups helping through moral recovery.