ILOILO – Illegal drugs are smuggled not only through seaports and piers but also across coastal areas using motor bancas or pump boats.
The provincial government is thus considering the involvement of the Iloilo Provincial Bantay Dagat Task Force in the campaign against illegal drugs, according to Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr.
During a courtesy visit to Defensor by the regional director of the Police Regional Office (PRO)-6, Police Brigadier General Jack Wanky, last week, one of the suggestions was to engage the Bantay Dagat Task Force in surveillance and intelligence activities related to the entry of illegal drugs through the province’s coastlines.
Defensor agreed that the taskforce could play a significant role in monitoring the coastlines in both the northern and southern parts of the province, in partnership with local barangay officials.
“We plan to utilize them in safeguarding our coastlines against potential drug trafficking routes within the province,” Defensor said.
The Bantay Dagat is equipped with monitoring tools such as radios, speed boats, and motor bancas, making it practical to leverage their capabilities to the fullest.
Defensor plans to kick-start the plan promptly after discussions with the mayors of northern and southern Iloilo about this strategy.
The coastal municipalities in Northern Iloilo comprise Ajuy, Concepcion, Batad, Barotac Viejo, San Dionisio, Balasan, and Estancia. In Southern Iloilo, they include Oton, Tigbauan, Guimbal, Miag-ao, and San Joaquin.
Defensor assured Wanky of the provincial government’s commitment to fighting illegal drugs. It already acquired 10 sniffing dogs to be deployed at various ports to assist in inspecting the luggage of incoming passengers.
This acquisition followed remarks by the director of the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO), Police Colonel Ronaldo Palomo, regarding the influx of illegal drugs into Iloilo from other provinces, such as Negros Occidental, via ports.
Palomo noted the IPPO’s need for more sniffing dogs to adequately monitor ports, including those in Dumangas and Estancia.
“We have already equipped our police with sniffing dogs. Now that we have them, we will train them to enhance the police’s capacity to oversee our ports. However, the need for more resources persists. We plan to tap the Bantay Dagat in this monitoring effort,” said Defensor./PN
