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[av_heading heading=’29 village execs linked to illegal drugs ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
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ILOILO – Six barangay captains and 23 barangay kagawads (councilmen) in the province are allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade.
They either surrendered to the police or were arrested in antidrug operations, Senior Superintendent Harold Tuzon disclosed.
There are 1,721 barangays in the province. Each has a barangay captain and seven kagawads.
“Quite significant” was how Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) provincial director Teodora Sumagaysay described the number of barangay officials linked to the drug trade.
Tuzon revealed the information when he presented the Iloilo Police Provincial Office’s accomplishments during the launch of the DILG’s anticrime community mobilization program on Monday, Nov. 21.
Anybody — not just the DILG — with sufficient evidence can file criminal or administrative charges against such village officials, Sumagaysay clarified.
She said the names of the drug-linked barangay officials have been forwarded to the DILG central office.
Sumagaysay stressed the DILG never failed to remind village officials against getting involved in any irregularity.
And “before sila magpungko, they took their oath,” she said. “Ang ila oath of office, kon ginaseryoso nila, bug-at (ang responsibilities).”
Tuzon also revealed 50.78 percent of the 1,721 barangays in Iloilo (876) were drug-affected — 852 “slightly affected” and 24 “moderately affected.”
MASA-MASID
The DILG looks to mobilize the community in fighting anomalies and illegal drugs through the MASA-Masid (Mamamayang Ayaw sa Anomaliya, Mamamayang Ayaw sa Ilegal na Droga) program.
Sumagaysay said the program will be launched in every town and MASA-Masid volunteer teams will be created in every barangay.
Under DILG Memorandum Circular 2016-116, each MASA-Masid team must comprise the Ugnayan ng Barangay at mga Simbahan, the Barangay Action Team (representatives from faith-based, civil society, nongovernment/people’s organizations, and other volunteers), the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council, and the Barangay Peace and Order Council.
Specifically the MASA-Masid program aims to:
* intensify advocacy and education campaigns in the community level
* mobilize the community in gathering information by installing a reporting mechanism on illegal drug activities
* mobilize support and encourage sharing of available local resources to hasten the implementation of a community-based rehabilitation program
* create an enabling environment to encourage collaboration among community partners to effectively implement the community-based program./PN
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