ZAMBOANGA CITY — Authorities have declared 60 barangays in a province in Western Mindanao drug-free after almost a year of the government's intense anti-drug campaign.
Chief Superintendent Billy Beltran, police regional director for the Zamboanga Peninsula, said the villages are all in Zamboanga del Norte alone.
The rest of the provinces of Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, including the cities of Zamboanga and Isabela in Basilan continue to face problems with illegal drugs.
Beltran said the declaration of drug-free barangays came after assessment and validation by the Regional Oversight Committee.
The committee is chaired by Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Regional Director Lyndon Aspacio, and has Department of Interior and Local Government Regional Director Faizal Abutasil as vice chair.
Chief Supt. Beltran, Health Regional Director Aristedes Tan and Zamboanga del Norte Governor Roberto Uy are members.
Beltran said the ROC issued the certification to the 60 barangays during the Ceremonial Declaration of Drug-Cleared and Drug-Free Barangays held Wednesday at Zamboanga del Norte Sports Complex in Dipolog City.
According to Beltran, the cities and municipalities with corresponding barangays declared as drug-free were: Dapitan City (6 barangays), Dipolog City (5), Baliguian town (1), Godod (2), Gutalac (2), Jose Dalman (2), Kalawit (2), Katipunan (1), La Libertad (2), Labason (2), Leon Postigo (2), Liloy (2), Manukan (2), Mutia (3), Pinan (2), Polanco (4), Pres. Ma.Roxas (8), Rizal (2), Salug (2), Sergio Osmena (1), Siayan (2), Sibuco (2), Sibutad (2), Sindangan (2), Siocon (2), Sirawai (1) and Tampilisan (2).
Beltran said areas declared drug cleared have been verified to have no drug pushers, drug users or dependents, protectors, coddlers or financiers. Certfication also requires active involvement of barangay officials and youth councils in anti-drug activities and to help maintain the drug-liberated status of the barangay.
The police official said, based on the data of the anti-drug operations under the PRO-9 from July last year to May 2017, at least 62 persons allegedly involved in illegal drugs have been killed, 1,771 arrested and 58,163 surrendered.
Beltran said the police in the region conducted 1,859 operations and at least 466,614 houses were visited under Oplan Tokhang.