• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Some 500 of 601 barangays in Negros Occidental, excluding the highly-urbanized Bacolod City, have been declared as drug-cleared by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Wednesday (Feb. 26).
In a report during the Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council meeting held at the Provincial Capitol in Bacolod City, it stated that there are still 101 barangays being targeted for drug clearing in the province.
Declared by the PDEA as 100 percent drug- cleared were the municipalities of E.B. Magalona, Candoni, Isabela, La Castellana, Manapla, Moises Padilla, Pontevedra, Pulupandan, and Valladolid as well as the cities of Victorias, Silay, Sipalay and Bago.
In the same PDEA report, the provinces of Aklan, Guimaras and Antique are 100 percent drug-cleared; Iloilo Province, 99.59 percent; Capiz, 93.45 percent; Iloilo City, 52.78 percentile; and Bacolod City, 34.43 percent.
The Philippine National Police is validating allegations that some barangay officials in Bacolod City served as protectors of persons engaged in the illegal drug trade.
PCol. Joeresty Coronica, director of the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO), raised the possibility that the barangay officials concerned did not include those persons engaged in the illegal drug activities since they are allies.
Coronica said he also wants an evaluation of the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Councils to determine if they are cooperating in the anti- drug campaign of the BCPO.
From Feb. 17 to 23 this year, the BCPO reported to have seized P7.2 million worth of suspected shabu and dried marijuana leaves. In the same period, 19 suspected drug personalities were also arrested.
Coronica admitted that Bacolod City is being used as transshipment point of illegal drugs. He, however, said it does not mean that all the drug supply are being consumed in Bacolod City alone. | GB
