• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
A total of 441 out of the 601 barangays in Negros Occidental have been declared as drug-cleared.
This was reported by the Department of the Interior and Local Government during the joint Provincial Peace and Order Council and Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council meeting held at the Provincial Capitol Social Hall in Bacolod City on Thursday (March 7).
The remaining 160 Negros Occidental barangays, excluding the 61 villages in Bacolod City, are now target of drug clearing operations of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Philippine National Police (PNP) and other law enforcement agencies.
The 16 barangays of Silay City in Negros Occidental were also declared as drug- cleared by the Regional Oversight Committee (ROC), according to its police chief, PLt. Col. Mark Anthony Darroca.
The ROC, composed of PDEA, PNP, DILG, Department of Health and Department of Justice, also declared last year the 23 barangays of E.B. Magalona as drug-cleared. | GB
