103 Barangays in the Provinces of Zamboanga Sibugay and Zamboanga Del Sur Now Drug Cleared Communities

(Photo courtesy by PRO-9 PIO)

By HIROHITO 'jong' D. CADION

         

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur (June 16, 2018) - A total of One-Hundred-Three Barangays in Zamboanga Sibugay and Zamboanga Del Sur were declared as drug-cleared and drug-free communities by the Regional Oversight Committee.

The declaration was made after accomplishing the parameters set forth by the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) as provided in Section 8, DDB Board Regulation No. 3 Series of 2017, otherwise known as “Strengthening the Implementation of the Barangay Drug-Clearing Program,” Police Official said.

         

Police Regional Office-9 (PRO-9) PIO Chief CInsp. Helen L. Galvez disclosed that  during the ceremonial declaration program held at Tungawan Gymnasium in Tungawan municipality and Imelda Gymnasium in the municipality of Imelda, both of Zamboanga Sibugay on June 14, 2018 with Governor Wilter Yap Palma as guest of honor and speaker, thirty-four Barangays were declared as drug-cleared and drug-free.

These are the municipalities of:

Tungawan with 11-Barangays cleared in illegal drugs,

Titay–2 Barangays, Buug-6 Barangays, Diplahan-3 Barangays,

Imelda-6 Barangays, Naga-2 Barangays, Siay-2 Barangays and

Oluntanga with 3 Barangays.

(Photo courtesy by PRO-9 PIO)

On the other hand Galvez said, in Zamboanga Del Sur Sixty-nine Barangays were also declared as drug-cleared during the ceremonial declaration program conducted in the municipalities of Bayog, Lakewood, Tigbao, Dumalinao and Josefina last June 11-13, 2018 with Governor Antonio Cerilles as guest of honor. 

The drug-cleared Barangays are as follows:

5-Barangays in Bayog, 12-Barangays in Lakewood, 17-Barangays in Tigbao, 16-Barangays in Dumalinao, 14-Barangays in Josefina and 5-Barangays in Labangan.

(Photo courtesy by PRO-9 PIO)

PRO-9 PIO Chief also said that some of the personalities leading the declaration were PDEA-9 Regional Director Laurefel P. Gabales and Chairman of Regional Oversight Committee on Barangay Drug Clearing Operations,

 PSup. Alikhan A Yusop, Officer in Charge of RPCRD, Police Regional Office-9 and Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG-9) Regional Director Paisal O Abutazil.

Also in attendance during the ceremony were Municipal Mayors of the above-mentioned municipalities, respective MADAC and BADAC and the Chiefs of Police, CInsp. Galvez said.

         

Meanwhile, PDEA-9 Director Gabales said that the drug-cleared barangays will still be subjected to re-validation and if the committee will find out that there are still drug users and pushers still operating at the above-mentioned barangay, the Regional Oversight Committee will recall the declaration and they will not be a drug-cleared barangay anymore, CInsp. Galvez added.    

         

Galvez said, in declaring an area drug-free, the PDEA and the Philippine National Police (PNP) consider the following factors:

- Non-availability of illegal drugs,

- Absence of illegal drug transshipment activity,

- Absence of clandestine illegal drug laboratory,

- Absence of clandestine illegal drug warehouse,

- Absence of clandestine illegal chemical warehouse,

- Absence of marijuana cultivation site,

- Absence of drug den, -absence of drug pushers,

- Absence of drug users/dependents,

- Absence of protectors/coddlers and financiers.

         

The Regional Oversight Committee led by the PDEA9 is composed of the provincial representatives of the PNP, DILG, Department of Health (DOH) and Local Government Units, she said.

(Photo courtesy by PRO-9 PIO)