PDEA vows to continue barangay drug clearing

CEBU, Philippines — The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-7 is heightening its anti-illegal drug campaign as it is focusing on its Barangay Drug Clearing Program.

PDEA-7 is happy with the statement of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. to focus on the rehabilitation of illegal drug users.

According to PDEA-7 spokesperson Leia Alcantara, apart from continuing supply reduction, they will also strengthen the rehabilitation side which is described as important in their campaign against illegal drugs.

"Our campaign was heavy on supply reduction, the conduct of anti-illegal drug operation, but during the past administration and this administration have appreciated and seen how important it is that supply reduction should be weighed against demand reduction," said Alcantara.

Alcantara also revealed that many have completed the Community-Based Drug Rehabilitation Program (CBDRP) which is an LGU intervention for drug users.

According to him, 95 percent of PDEA surrenderers are in the Barangay Rehabilitation Program and most of them have really changed, have not returned to the vice and now have proper jobs.

Apart from the CBDRP, the PDEA also has a Balay Silingan Program where those who are there are only surrenderers who sell drugs and do not use them.

Inside Balay Silingan there are sessions there to help them to change so that when they leave Balay Silingan there is a job that is not connected to illegal drugs.

It is known that region seven has 14 Balay Silingan.

“Three-month period ni ang Balay Silingan but ang first month in-house sila so naa gyud sila sa center, sulod sa center, pwede sila makauli pero dapat naay passes, for the second and third month mao na mag report nalang sila sa center kay ari naman isulod ang katong mga livelihood trainings, mga skills trainings," said Alcantara.

PDEA-7 will continue to coordinate with the local chief executives for the construction of more Balay Silingan.

Based on PDEA-7 data, 1,329 barangays in Region 7 have been declared drug-cleared and 116 are drug-free.

Alcantara clarified that drug-cleared and drug-free are different.

"When you say drug-cleared these are barangays previously considered as drug affected, naay presence of drug personalities like users, pusher, drug den maintainer, mga drug dens mao nay drug affected kung moagi sila sa proseso maka-submit sila sa ilahang documents, their BADACS are functional and effective and all their drug personalities are accounted for buot pasabot ni graduate sa CBDRP, ang qualified pusher kay na enrol sa Balay Silingan, katong mga gahi og ulo wala voluntarily ni surrender na address nato through the conduct of anti-illegal drug operation na sustain ang ilahang demand reduction efforts kana those are critical requirements nato...for the drug-free barangays these are barangays nga wala gyuy presence sa users, pushers or any illegal drug activities," Alcantara explained

Arrested

Meanwhile, at least two high-value individuals (HVI) were arrested by the police in the town of Minglanilla in a buy-bust operation conducted in Barangay Poblacion, Ward 2 Wednesday night, September 28, 2022.

The police identified the suspects as Isagani Raston Rafayla alias Gani, 40, of Barangay Tunghaan, and Jonamil Basabe Abella alias Amil, 26, of Barangay Poblacion Ward 2, all of the said town.

Police Major Arieza Otida, chief of Minglanilla town police, said that they have been hearing the names of those arrested.

The moment they bit the poseur buyer they immediately sealed the two.

The shabu weighing 50.02 grams with an estimated value of P340,136, buy-bust money, and a sling bag used as a container of the illegal drugs was recovered from the suspects.

Otida is the newly-installed chief of Minglanilla police replacing Police Major Albert Tare.

She said they conducted an investigation on those arrested in an effort to catch more illegals.

Police Regional Office-7 director, Police Brigadier General Roque Eduardo DP Vega, commended the operating unit for the accomplishment.

"Further investigations have been conducted to trace the source of drugs, and their links after the seizure of the illegal drugs. This is part of the enhanced anti-illegal drug campaign of PRO-7. I urge the public to remain vigilant and report to authorities if they have information," said Vega. — Nina C. Tundag, GMR (FREEMAN)