ILOILO City – The Iloilo City Council is cautiously studying whether to adopt a cash reward system for drug informants following the approval of an ordinance at the provincial level, with city officials warning of possible budget strain, abuse, and public safety risks.
The proposal gained attention after the Iloilo Provincial Board approved on third and final reading Provincial Ordinance No. 2026-350 which institutionalizes the Barangay Bantay Droga (BBD) program and offers monetary rewards to individuals whose information leads to the arrest of alleged drug personalities.
Under the ordinance, informants may receive P10,000 for arrests involving ordinary residents, P20,000 for barangay kagawads or Sangguniang Kabataan officials, and P30,000 for barangay captains.
The program covers accredited community volunteers involved in anti-drug efforts, including barangay officials, tanods, health workers, and other designated members.
But in Iloilo City, local lawmakers said the measure still requires careful scrutiny before any similar ordinance can be considered.
Councilor Sedfrey Cabaluna, chairperson of the Sangguniang Panlungsod’s committee on public safety, said the city already has mechanisms encouraging residents to report suspected illegal drug activities through barangay officials and authorities.
“Actually, may ara na kita programs nga pwede ang mga pumuluyo naton maka-report sa barangay officials or city council members. If there are suspected individuals, they can report it,” Cabaluna said.
Cabaluna questioned whether a reward-based reporting system is necessary, stressing that citizens should cooperate with authorities out of civic duty rather than financial gain.
“For me, indi dapat reward ang main motivation. It is our responsibility as citizens to report such incidents. Even without reward, if we know something, we should report it to authorities,” he added.
The councilor also raised concerns over whether the city government can sustain the financial requirements of such a program if implemented locally.
“If ever this will be implemented in Iloilo City, we have to ask — can the city afford it?” he said.
According to Cabaluna, the city’s funding priorities are already focused on essential services such as healthcare, social welfare, and other public programs.
“Ang aton priorities sa funding ara sa social services. So we really need to assess if this is financially viable,” he added.
He also warned that a reward-driven reporting system could encourage false accusations or abuse if not properly regulated.
“Kun reward ang motivation, it can also create problems. Ang tawo mahimo mag-report l ang for money rather than responsibility,” he said.
Cabaluna emphasized that any information received from informants must still undergo proper validation and investigation before authorities take action.
“As long as the information is legitimate, it should be acted upon and investigated. No one should be judged immediately,” he added.
He stressed that anti-drug efforts in the city should continue to prioritize prevention, intelligence gathering, and coordination with law enforcement agencies already conducting regular operations.
“Our police already conduct regular operations and intelligence work. Crime prevention should remain the priority,” he said.
While the proposal remains open for discussion, Cabaluna said city officials would carefully weigh its benefits and potential risks before deciding whether to pursue a similar ordinance.
“We will evaluate it carefully — if it is beneficial, if it is feasible, and if it will not create unintended risks in public safety,” Cabaluna said.
The provincial ordinance includes safeguards such as requiring the filing of drug-related cases before incentives can be released. It also imposes penalties, including fines and possible imprisonment, against individuals found guilty of false reporting./PN
