DRUG-CLEARED. Philippine National Police chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. leads the recognition of the seven drug-cleared local government units in Davao Region on Thursday (Nov. 17, 2022) in Davao City. The municipalities cited were Malalag in Davao del Sur, Malita, and Sta. Maria in Davao Occidental, Talaingod and San Isidro in Davao del Norte, Boston in Davao Oriental, and Mawab in Davao de Oro. (PNA photo by Che Palicte)
DAVAO CITY - Seven local government units (LGU) in Davao Region were recognized by the Regional Oversight Committee on Barangay Drug Clearing (ROCBDC) as "drug-cleared towns" on Thursday.
Philippine National Police chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. led the distribution of plaques here to the drug-cleared LGUs of Malalag in Davao del Sur, Malita, and Sta. Maria in Davao Occidental, Talaingod and San Isidro in Davao del Norte, Boston in Davao Oriental, and Mawab in Davao de Oro.
Azurin commended the LGUs for their efforts in "waging war against drugs," noting that the collaboration between the government agencies made it possible.
“I hope the concerned agencies will continue helping each other along with the local chief executives in order to clear all the barangays in Region 11 totally,” he said.
To sustain the drug-cleared status, Azurin said a regular dialogue among the barangays and visibility of the police personnel are essential.
“In our quest to clear the different barangays, we need to understand, we need to conduct a social investigation into why there are drug peddlers, and why there are drug pushers so that the government will provide the necessary intervention whether from the LGU or from the national government,” he said.
Meanwhile, Aileen Lovitos, regional director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Davao Region (PDEA-11) and chairperson of ROCBDC, said the seven LGUs were the first in Davao Region to be cleared of drugs.
Lovitos said before declaring that an LGU has been cleared of illegal drugs, all of their barangays must not have the availability of drug supply, absence of drug transit and drug shipment activity, no laboratories, no chemical warehouse, no marijuana cultivation sight, no drug den resort, no drug pusher, user, and protector.
Apart from that, she said a town must also be active in their involvement in anti-drug activities and must have a “Balay Silangan,” a reformation facility for drug offenders.
Around 1,162 barangays in the Davao Region were assessed for drug clearing and 894 of which were cleared, she said.
“We’re aiming to clear all barangays in Region 11, but there are a lot of factors why some of the barangays are not yet ready. But we are already there and all the local government units are in collaboration to look into these barangays,” Lovitos said. (PNA)
