San Luis town ‘drug-cleared’
SAN LUIS - The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency III (PDEA-3) has declared this Pampanga town as drug-cleared, the second among the total 120 cities and municipalities in Central Luzon.
This came after the local police and government successfully complied with the 14 parameters set by the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) under its “Strengthening the Implementation of the Barangay Drug Clearing Program” board regulation.
PDEA-3 Information Officer Glenn Guillermo explained that the conferment of the certification came after the local government unit passed the rigid scrutiny of the requirements and verification, and validation processes conducted by the Oversight Committee on Barangay Drug Clearing Operations.
The oversight committee is headed by PDEA-3 Regional Director Gil Pabilona with members by Police Regional Office III Director Chief Superintendent Amador Corpus, Department of Health Region III Director Ruben Siapno, and Governor Lilia Pineda.
“The municipality under the leadership of Chief Inspector Elias Tait, Mayor Venancio Macapagal and the chairmen of the 17 barangays were able to clear their respective communities from illegal drugs infestation through several measures they have implemented,” Guillermo explained.
According to Tait, the local police enjoined the local government and the barangay anti-drug abuse councils in coming up with a comprehensive drug clearing program which served as the guideline for their target.
Under the program, 309 self-confessed illegal drug users were reformed in the nine community-based rehabilitations centers established in the town, and have arrested scores of notorious and newly-identified drug pushers and suppliers, Tait disclosed.
He furthered that during his three-month stint as chief of police, his station was able to conduct 16 major illegal drug operations which resulted to seizure of several sachets of prohibited drugs, mostly methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu).
“We were fortunate that the whole community, from the mayor to the barangay captains and the people were united in addressing the problem of illegal drugs here. Our original target is in December but we have done it before that date through our joint efforts,” Tait said.
Macapagal, for his part, lauded the efforts of the barangay chairmen and local police who were behind the successful eradication of illegal drugs in the town and the accounting of users and pushers for possible rehabilitation.
With the conferment of the drug-cleared status for the town, Macapagal assured that he is leaving a good legacy in San Luis as he is about to step down and finish his full term as local chief executive here.
He, however, reminded authorities and constituents that while the drug-cleared status is prestigious, it is not a mere status symbol but a responsibility that must be maintained and accountable for.
“We must work harder and be united, and be more alert and observant especially in the boundary of barangays to ensure that no illegal drugs can come in our town again and safeguard our status as drug-cleared,” he said.
San Luis and Masantol, which was declared drugcleared in 2017 and has maintained the status since, are the only towns in Central Luzon which were officially declared drug-cleared by PDEA-3.