'Scrap livelihood aid to marijuana farmers'

BAGUIO CITY ,Philippines   – The Regional Peace and Order Council is questioning the wisdom of providing livelihood funds to areas found producing marijuana.

Arguing such support serves as incentive for farmers to engage in the cultivation of the illicit drug, the council in its recent meeting in Kalinga also backed a suggestion to the transfer of the administration of the support fund from the Dangerous Drugs Board to the Department of Social Welfare and Development, a lead agency in the government’s poverty alleviation campaign.

The body chaired by Benguet Gov. Nestor Fongwan noted reports that, in some instances, the support was given to the “wrong” recipients, meaning areas not into marijuana production.

Earlier, the RPOC decided to work closely with government prosecutors to strengthen cases against traffickers of prohibited drugs.

Kalinga Gov. Jocel Baac, the newly appointed chair of the Regional Development Council, observed that the anti-drug campaign sometimes get stalled by dismissal of cases by prosecutors.

Add to these the need for local government officials to help identify and apprehend marijuana planters, suggested Senior Superintendent Roberto Soriano, the regional assistant police director for operations.

Hardly are there cases filed against marijuana cultivators, Soriano lamented.