Regional PDEA, DILG directors join LDN’s PPOC-PADAC meeting
Tubod, Lanao del Norte - In a bid to respond on issues affecting peace and order in the province, the members of the Provincial Peace & Order Council (PPOC) and Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council (PADAC) jointly conducted its regular meeting with the presence of the Regional Director of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) recently held at Macapagal Training Center in Governor Arsenio A. Quibranza Provincial Government Center, Pigcarangan, Tubod town.
Major concerns have been discussed in the meeting including illegal drugs, illegal gambling, terrorism, and insurgency.
The meeting was presided by Vice-Governor Cristina N. Atay in behalf of the PPOC Chair Governor Imelda Q. Dimaporo who attended a co-equal important conference. The meeting was also attended by officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).
DILG Regional Director said the PPOC-PADAC meeting was aimed at synchronizing measures on how to restrain criminality, or any issue that affects the peace and order situation in the province and nearby areas particularly Iligan City and Marawi City.
Resource persons from the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines presented the current peace and order situation of the province as per reports from their field units and gave update of Marawi City siege.
However, AFP officials reiterate the importance of community participation in attaining long lasting peace and development.
“We want to provide safe and secure province that is conducive to all residents and most specially to investors, despite what is happening in Marawi City we will continue to prosper. The role of the community in deterring lawless group is therefore instrumental.” Brigadier General William Alunday said.
PDEA Regional Director Adrian Albareño explains to local chief executives the parameters of the Dangerous Drugs Board Regulation No.3 series of 2017. The regulation sets the processes in declaring the barangay as a drug free community. It can be noted that since 1998 up to year 2012, the Department of Interior and Local Government issued various Memorandum Circular to create Provincial, City, Municipal and Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council. It allows the LGUs to have their own initiative in preventing the proliferation of illegal drugs and in their own community. In these Memorandum Circulars sanctions were included to those non-performing LGU officials in the fight against illegal drugs. In the preoperation phase the PDEA will conduct orientation and relevant matters same with the PNP. The function of LGUs is to activate the MADAC or BADAC. Reliable action plans and capability enhancement emanate from these councils are basis of the PNP’s future intervntions.
Meanwhile, PNP Provincial Director Police Senior Superintendent Leopoldo Cabanag explains that he is determined to achieve the provision of 30 PNP personnel per Municipal Police Station requirement. According to him maybe in the last quarter of the this year the corcern will be materialized. He is thankful to all municipal mayors for helping the PNP’s undertakings on the ground.
“Without the governor and the mayors of this province our campaign against illegal drugs, criminality and ensurgency would become blurry”, PD Cabanag stressed.
Vice Governor Atay assures to the PPOC-PADAC members she would convey all concerns discussed during the joint meeting particularly those factors affecting the effeciency of the local PNPin their operations.
Governor Dimaporo has been very supportive to AFP and PNP activities on the campaign against illegal drugs and criminality including the implementation of community-based social programs such as “Kalinga sa Bayan” of the AFP and other activities of both security groups. ( by: Raul D. Dinapo)