65 barangays in 6 towns ‘free of drugs’
LOCAL authorities declared 65 barangays to be free of illegal drugs, peddlers and users.
The barangays are in the towns of Dumanjug and Tabuelan in mainland Cebu and San Francisco, Poro, Tudela and Pilar in Camotes islands, said Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) Director Eric Noble.
The barangays have allegedly fulfilled the parameters set by the Dangerous Drugs Board’s (DDB) resolution, which provides guidelines for the drug-clearing operations in the barangays.
The CPPO held a joint meeting yesterday with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 7 and the Cebu Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Office (CPADAO) to evaluate the findings of the local antidrug abuse councils in these towns.
“They will convince us. It’s like a thesis defense,” said Noble. “If it is okay with us, we will put our stamp on their recommendations.”
For validation
He said that before they can validate and approve, the Barangay AntiDrug Abuse Council (Badac), Municipal Anti-Drug Abuse Council (Madac) and PDEA must submit their certifications.
Sixteen barangays in Alcoy, Boljoon and Santander had also been proclaimed drug-free. The reports from the barangay and municipal anti-drug abuse councils were already submitted to CPADAO for final approval.
Poro Police Station Chief Jade Sumugat said they still have drug users in their area but all of them already surrendered to authorities.
He said barangay officials are doing their best to help junkies abandon their vice.
Noble said he had noticed a drop in the drug supply in the four towns in Camotes after the arrest of suspected Eastern Visayas drug lord Kerwin Espinosa and the surrender of Danao City-based suspected shabu kingpin Alvaro “Barok” Alvaro to the National Bureau of Investigation in Bohol.
According to the DDB, a community is classified as being cleared of illegal drugs when drugs are no longer available; it isn’t being used as a drug transit or transshipment point; it has no illegal drug laboratory, chemical drug warehouse, or a marijuana cultivation site; and it has no resorts or other places being used as drug dens.
The other factor is the absence of drug pushers, drug users or dependents, as well as protectors or coddlers and financiers.
DDB also mandates that barangay officials should be active in anti-drug activities, and members of the Sangguniang Kabataan should help maintain the “drug-liberated” status of the barangay.
There should also be drug awareness, preventive education and information, and other related programs, and voluntary and compulsory drug treatment and a rehabilitation processing desk.