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[av_heading heading=’ Mabilog on the right track – PDEA’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”][/av_heading]
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ILOILO City – The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Region 6 and Philippine National Police (PNP) in this city have confirmed that Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog and other elected city officials are not in their watch list or protecting drug personalities in the metropolis.
The confirmation followed after Mabilog asked PDEA-6 director Gil Pabilona and Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) director Senior Superintendent Remus Zacharias Canieso during the Iloilo City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (ICADAC) meeting on Aug. 8 whether there were city officials or barangay officials protecting drug personalities.
“On the part of PDEA, no one from the city level is included in our list,” said Pabilona.
PDEA’s assessment was also echoed by the city police chief.
“In the watch list of the PNP, there are identified personalities, especially elected officials in the barangays and their village councilors (kagawads), (but) for the city level, there is none, only in the barangay,” said Canieso.
Pabilona said the city government, especially Mayor Mabilog, is on the right track in clearing the metropolis of illegal drugs.
Canieso supported Pabilona’s statement saying there is enough support from the city government in the campaign against illegal drugs.
Mabilog asked Pabilona and Canieso if there is anything the city government could do to further strengthen the programs and activities against illegal drugs. He said the city government is willing and will continue to provide additional support for the needs of law enforcers.
“On the part of the ICPO, the support of the city government is enough to sustain and push through the operations against illegal drugs,” said Canieso.
Among the support, programs and activities initiated by the city government to fight illegal drugs are giving of tanod patrols to barangays; giving of drug test kits; establishment of PDEA detention facility; covenant signing against drugs; and logistical support to police and to PDEA.
Mabilog has allotted at least P69.5 million for various peace and order programs, of which P35 million is for anti-drug operations and drug rehabilitation for 2017.
City hall also provided the ICPO with gasoline, service vehicles, motorcycles, firearms, and even Information and Communication Technology (ICT) equipment.
However, Pabilona and Canieso said they have monitored and have received reports that some barangay officials in the metropolis are “protecting” drug personalities within their villages.
“In the barangay level, we have been receiving reports that there are (barangay officials) but the PDEA and PNP are doing the validation from time-to-time. Our job is really to validate the reports sent to us,” explained Pabilona.
For the part of ICPO, Canieso said barangay officials included in the PNP watch list were already warned during the Oplan Double Barrel Reloaded.
“What we have done was that we convinced them during the campaign on Oplan Double Barrel Reloaded. We have visited these identified barangay chairmen and convinced them as some of them also joined the profiling. So we are just monitoring them if they still continue doing it,” explained Canieso.
Mabilog warned barangay officials to stop protecting drug personalities in their barangays or the ICADAC will recommend the filing of administrative charges against them.
PDEA noted they will conduct tokhang operations to those personalities included in the watch list and those who do not participate in the drugs rehabilitation and treatment.
“We have already started receiving the reports of the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council (BADAC). And if these drug personalities are not cooperating, so perhaps in the next few days or weeks we will be conducting the tokhang again. Our intention is really to account them so that they can be drug cleared, because as long as they cannot be cleared, we could not obtain the zero watch list,” added Pabilona.
In Iloilo City, there were 3,180 validated drug surrenderees by PDEA and PNP or less than one percent affectation of the total population of 449,000 of the metropolis.
Out of total validated drug surrenderees, 408 already graduated including 209 during the first batch and 199 for the second batch from Iloilo City Community Change Centers called The Crossroads in seven districts. A total of 550 graduated from the camp-based rehabilitation program.
There are 200 currently enrolled in The Crossroads as third batch. There are 112 currently enrolled in the camp-based rehab sessions./PN
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