Illegal drugs menace gripping 88 percent of Cebu barangays

CEBU — At least 934 out of the 1,066 barangays in the entire province of Cebu, except Cebu City and other highly urbanized cities, are affected by illegal drugs.

The figure means 88% of province's barangays are affected by illegal drugs, with 14 barangays classified as seriously affected, 407 are classified as moderately affected and 513 are slightly affected, according to the Cebu Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Office (CPADAO).

CPADAO describes drug-affected barangays as those with reported illegal drugs – related activities.

Only 132 barangays in the province of Cebu are considered as not affected by illegal drugs, CPADAO said.

CPADAO is now implementing a community-based crisis intervention program designed for self-confessed users and pushers of illegal drugs who have surrendered to authorities.

CPADAO chief Ivy Durano-Meca said her office's focus is on the rehabilitation of the 14 barangays that are seriously affected.

Meanwhile, three suspected drug pushers, who earlier surrendered to the police in line with ‘Oplan Tokhang’, were shot dead by still unidentified gunmen early dawn Saturday in barangay Maslog Danao City, Cebu.

The three victims – Joshua Abellana, Jerry Cabriana, and Gerico Defensor – were gunned down by motorcycle riding men past 2 a.m. yesterday.

The police said the attack may be drug – related.

Danao City police chief Senior Insp. Alejadnro Batobalonos said the three victims earlier surrendered to the police and admitted that they were drug pushers.

Police investigation, however, showed that the three still returned to peddling drugs days after their surrender, prompting the Danao City police to plan a buy bust operation.

But Batobalonos said the police operation was preempted by the incident.

The police chief also denied insinuations that a vigilante group is already operating in Danao City.