DRUG-CLEARED. Barangay officials of Abanon, Guelew, Metizo Norte, Pagal, San Juan, and Supo in San Carlos City, Pangasinan accept the certificates of drug-cleared status from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency during a ceremony at the San Carlos City hall on Tuesday (Jan.16, 2024). These villages are among the 12 newly-declared drug-cleared areas in the province. (Photo courtesy of Retchie Camacho/PDEA Pangasinan)
MALASIQUI, Pangasinan – The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Pangasinan provincial office has awarded certificates of drug-cleared status to 24 villages in different towns and cities here.
In a phone interview on Tuesday, PDEA-Pangasinan director Retchie Camacho said there are now 1,181 drug-cleared villages out of the 1,272 drug-affected villages in the province.
During the ceremonies at different venues on Monday, the certificates were issued to officials of Barangay Batang, Infanta town; Balacag and Bantugan in Pozorubio town; Casantamaria-an, Mantacdang, and Poblacion Zone II in San Quintin town; and Bisal, Bucao, Calaocan, Licsi, Lipit Sur, Oraan East, Oraan West, Pantal, Santa Ines, Sapang, Tebuel, and Lelemaan in Manaoag town.
On Tuesday, certificates were issued to barangays Abanon, Guelew, Metizo Norte, Pagal, San Juan, and Supo at the San Carlos City hall.
Camacho said these villages are declared drug-cleared by the Regional Oversight Committee on Barangay Drug Clearing.
“I asked the barangay officials as well as the residents to maintain their drug-clear status and hopefully, the drug-clearing in their town or city will follow soon,” he said.
Amid the drug-cleared status of the villages, Camacho said anti-illegal drug activities like law enforcement and demand-reduction measures will still be launched in the localities.
He also warned village executives that their areas’ drug-cleared status could be reverted if they failed to address a reported drug personality or activity in their areas of jurisdiction.
Based on PDEA guidelines, a village will be given an illegal drug-free status if it has been validated that there is no supply of illegal drugs in the area and there are absence of drug transit activities, clandestine drug laboratories and chemical warehouses, marijuana cultivation sites, drug dens, and drug pushers and users.
In 2023, PDEA-Pangasinan seized a total of PHP3.6 million worth of illegal drugs (shabu and marijuana) and arrested 54 high-value targets in seven high-impact operations.
To date, one of the four drug-affected cities and 30 of the 43-drug affected towns in Pangasinan have been issued drug-cleared certificates. (PNA)
