By Jennifer P. Rendon
Just like his predecessor, the new anti-drug czar of Western Visayas will also focus on barangay drug clearing operations.
Edgar Apalla, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Region 6 (PDEA) chief, said clearing drug-affected barangays is in his priority program.
”Region 6 is down to 26% remaining barangays to be cleared and we are confident to lower the affectation further,” Apalla said, as he underscored the importance of collaboration with the Philippine National Police, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, and the Department of Health.
PDEA-6 records showed that Western Visayas has 953 more barangays to clear of illegal drugs out of 4,051 villages.
The remaining 953 “un-cleared” barangays Apalla said, includes 162 that will undergo deliberation by the Regional Oversight Committee in August 2020.
Apalla met with Police Brigadier General Rene Pamuspusan, Western Visayas police chief, to discuss the ongoing implementation of the Barangay Drug Clearing Program (BDCP), as well as the intensified anti-drug operations in the region.
Both officials have signified support in the conduct of intensified anti-drug campaigns in Western Visayas with the end view of eradicating the drug problem through strengthened collaboration, cooperation, coordination and good interoperability among units under their respective command,” Apalla said.
PDEA-6 members also met with DOH officials to plan out for the activities during the deliberation of submitted folders of every barangay for clearing.
TARGETS
Aside from BDCP, Apalla said they will prioritize high-impact operations, dismantling of drug dens; arrest of high value targets, and rescue of minors during the conduct of anti-drug operations if any.
He clarified that PDEA will always have targets amid questions why no big-time drug personalities were arrested lately.
“As a matter of fact, the remaining barangays left to be cleared are all under monitoring, meaning, there are still reports of drug personalities in the area. This, while we ensure the maintenance of the status of our drug-cleared unaffected barangays,” he said.
Apalla said PDEA agents have conducted buy-bust operations mostly in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, Iloilo City and Iloilo Province.
