By Jennifer P. Rendon
A few years back, the illegal drug situation in Western Visayas was considered poor compared to other areas in the country.
Fast forward to 2021, “it has improved a lot since I assumed as regional director here in late 2018 until I went back in 2021,” according to Alex Tablate, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency 6 (PDEA-6) regional director.
Tablate pointed out that both the demand and supply reduction efforts of both PDEA and the PNP resulted in positive outcomes.
As of Nov 26, 2021, Tablate said that around 86 percent of 4,051 barangays in Western Visayas were already declared as drug cleared.
“And the remaining 14 percent have already applied but need to comply with their requirements or are just waiting for deliberation,” he said.
For a barangay to be declared drug-cleared, it must pass through the Regional Oversight Committee’s committee.
The body is composed of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6), and the Department of Health (DOH), and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
In Panay area, more than 90 percent of the villages have been declared drug cleared.
However, Negros Occidental is just more than halfway in clearing the barangays.
Tablate said this coincided with the fact that Bacolod City and San Carlos City remain as areas where supply reduction efforts are concentrated.
“Sa mga areas na ‘yan, diyan pa rin ang maraming nahuhuli at malaki pa rin ang volume of recovery compared to other areas in the region,” he said.
A few years back, San Carlos City also recorded one of the biggest hauls of illegal drugs with the confiscation of around six kilos of shabu.
But this year, the biggest was around 600 grams, which also happened in San Carlos City.
“Despite our efforts and the aggressive campaign of the PNP, there would be persons who would still be persuaded and enticed into joining the illegal drug trade. But our operations will not cease until we neutralize them,” he said.
Tablate said low supply of illegal drugs is coming in the region because of the operations and massive confiscations in Luzon.
“If those were not intercepted, part of that supply could have been distributed here in the region,” he said.
PDEA-6 also said that there are still some drug dens that were monitored in Negros Occidental but none in Panay, so far.
That’s why, anti-drug clearing efforts are now concentrated in Negros Occidental.
“And we’re hopeful that this will further yield positive results before the year ends,” Tablate said.
