Capitol officials want heightened drive vs. other illegal drugs

With party drugs reportedly proliferating among youngsters, officials of the Cebu Provincial Government are urging authorities to intensify the anti-drug campaign against other forms of illegal drugs aside from shabu.

Ex-officio Provincial Board Member Earl Tidy Oyas, chairman of the committee on dangerous drugs, said the police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 7 should also strengthen their operations against Ecstasy.

The sentiment was shared by Cebu Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Office Chief Carmen Remedios Durano-Meca.

Meca said the same intensified operations and attention should also be given to other forms of illegal drugs.

“For me, let’s not only focus on shabu, although mao gyud ni pinaka-visible during buy-busts. What I am more concerned of are party drugs like Ecstasy and imported marijuana. How did they get here?” she said.

In an earlier report, PDEA 7 Director Wardley Getalla said the Ecstasy tablets in Cebu are from Europe, adding that no one manufactures this kind of drug in the country.

The supply is usually flown into the Philippines from the Netherlands.

“We at the anti-drug abuse office, as a policy making body, we can make recommendations for the national offices. I think that’s one of the issues we need to address, in terms of the shipment, drug trafficking. How did it reach the Province when they are imported? Let’s not focus only on shabu. I think PDEA should address other types of illegal drugs that are coming in,” Meca said.

As to the government’s drug rehabilitation efforts, Meca said PDEA has identified an area in the City of Naga, in the first district, as a possible site for their Balay Silangan.

Balay Silangan was initiated by the PDEA national headquarters last year as a program to reform small-time pushers who surrendered during Oplan Tokhang operations and those who were released from jail after they entered into a plea bargaining agreement.

Meca said Danao City is expected to finish renovating its existing facility for the Balay Silangan next month.

She said private stakeholders in Danao have pledged help in operating the facility.

“There’s a pre-negotiation already between PDEA and Naga City to come up with a Balay Silangan. Ang another location na ilang gi-project will be in Tuburan. Those are the two identified for pre-negotiation,” Meca said Wednesday, Feb. 13.

Eligible for the Balay Silangan program are drug personalities who surrendered with no pending criminal cases, warrant of arrest, or identification as a high-value target; those who availed themselves of the plea bargaining agreement or those convicted under Section 15 of Republic Act 9165; and those who served terms for violation of Republic Act 9165.