BY RUBY P. SILUBRICO
ILOILO City – All barangays in Banate, Iloilo were drug-affected, according to the president of the municipality’s Association of Barangay Councils (ABC).
“Based on our investigation and validation, all our barangays swarm with drug users,” Alex Cabangal.
Banate has 18 barangays – Alacaygan, Bariga, Belen, Bobon, Bularan, Carmelo, De La Paz, Dugwakan, Juanico, Libertad, Magdalo, Managopaya, Merced, Poblacion, San Salvador, Alokgangan, Zona Sur, and Fuentes.
Cabangal, however, said he could not confirm whether there are drug dealers in the barangays, too.
The mere presence of drug users in the barangay already makes it drug-affected, according to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
“We are coordinating with PDEA regarding this matter,” Cabangal said.
Banate is a coastal town in northern Iloilo. It has a land area of 10,289 hectares and a population of 29,543 based on the 2010 National Census on Population and Housing.
In a related story, Zarraga ABC president Ernesto Jamandre revealed that out of 24 barangays in his town, three were drug- affected.
The barangays were Poblacion Ilawod, Poblacion Ilaya and Jalawod Norte.
“There are no drug pushers in our area, only drug users. I don’t know where they get their supply,” Jamandre said./PN
