Drug-cleared, drug-free status different– CPADAO

The drug-cleared and the drug-free status are two different things.

Cebu Provincial AntiDrugAbuse Office (CPADAO) Chief Carmen Ivy Durano Meca made the clarification following the directive of Chief Superintendent Debold Sinas, Police Regional Office-7 director, to reassess the drugcleared declaration of over 100 barangays in Central Visayas.

Sinas wants to start the reassessment with the 29 barangays in Bogo City, the first local government unit that was declared drug-cleared.

Meca said Sinas may have interpreted drug-cleared status as drug-free.

“I don't know what’s his (Sinas) explanation for saying nga it’s not drug-cleared. Probably, his interpretation of drug cleared is drug free,” she said.

She explained that a barangay is considered drugcleared if the drug problem has been “neutralized,” which means there are no more identified illegal drug sellers while the users/surrenderers have been enrolled in rehabilitation programs.

A barangay is also considered drug-cleared if law enforcement agencies can attest that drug personalities in the area and their activities have been neutralized; and if a barangay has an active Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council, she added.

The drug-free status, on the other hand, means surpassing the drug-cleared level.

Under Dangerous Drugs Board Regulation No. 3, Series of 2017, a barangay is drugfree if there is no supply of illegal drugs, no illegal drug trade and no illegal drug den or warehouse in the community, among others.

A barangay can also be declared drug-free if barangay officials are active in the campaign against illegal drugs by conducting drug awareness, preventive education and information drives.

In Cebu province, at least 245 villages or 22.98 percent of the 1,066 barangays in Cebu have been declared as drug-cleared.

The 245 villages include those of Bogo City.

Meca clarified that the 245 villages are still not drugfree.

“Of course, I would say that all the 245 drugcleared are not drug-free. It’s unrealistic also when we say drug-free,” she said.

Sinas, in a press briefing yesterday, has stood firm in claiming the declaration was “rushed.”

“We will not sacrifice with data and statistics sa reality didto (declaration). If huna-huna nga gusto lang i-declare the Philippine National Police (PNP) will raise question,” he said.

Sinas said police in Bogo City, for instance, continue to confiscate illegal drugs and arrest suspected drug personalities despite the declaration.

“Gi-example ang Bogo because whole city, and if you check the whole city, naa jail, naa hotels, naa night spots, hotels, barako, bus. These should have been considered when declaring it,” he said.

Superintendent Jeffrey Caballes, the newly-installed Bogo City police chief, said the city is still far from being ‘drug-free.”

“That led me to question ngano? Supposed to be kun drug-free lisod na ka magdakop. Di man sala sa hepe, since gi-inherit lang niya,” he said.

Meca said the barangays underwent thorough deliberations by the Regional Oversight Committee, which is composed of the PNP, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Department of Health, CPADAO, and Department of Interior and Local Government.

A drug-cleared status can be revoked if barangay officials failed to initiate the necessary intervention within 30 days since drug activities surfaced anew. —

Lorraine Mitzi A. Ambrad and Mae Clydyl L. Avila/KBQ