SAN JOSE, Antique – Lieutenant Colonel Norby Escobar, Deputy Director for Operations of the Antique Police Provincial Office, said the operation of the “Bahay Silangan” or rehabilitation center for “drug offenders” in the province will begin this month.
“This February, before the month ends, there will be a blessing and inauguration of the Balay Silangan,” Escobar said.
The old reformation center, located at the old building of the Department of Education (DepEd) and fronting the municipal plaza, is now undergoing repair.
Escobar said other local government units of the province can enter a Memorandum of Agreement with Hamtic town – where the rehabilitation center is located – to accommodate “pusher-surrenderers” for a month-long rehabilitation.
The province has around 200 “targeted pushers” who will undergo the in-house rehabilitation, according to Escobar.
They will be formed into batches for close supervision.
The said number of “pushers” composes the 20 percent of the 1,849 drug personalities in the province who surrendered to the police since last year.
“Most of the drug personalities are only drug users who undergo the Community Based Rehabilitation Program,” Escobar said.
The “Bahay Silangan” is requirement for the province to be declared free from illegal drugs.(With a report from PNA/PN)
