With just six of the 315 barangays still affected by the drug scourge, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Administration (PDEA) Regional Office V last week commended the eight (8) municipalities declared as “drug-cleared” in a brief ceremony at the Provincial Capitol last week.
The municipal mayors of Baras, Bagamanoc, Bato, Panganiban, Pandan, San Andres, San Miguel, and Viga received plaques of recognition from the agency in coordination with the PDEA Catanduanes Provincial Office and in partnership with the provincial government of Catanduanes.
According to PDEA, Catanduanes has already attained 98.09% in terms of drug-cleared barangays, as 309 of the 315 villages have been granted the distinction. This means that for every 10 barangay in the province, only one village is infested with drug-related activities.
Of the other three towns, Caramoran and Gigmoto have only to hurdle the evaluation of the Regional Oversight Committee on Barangay Drug Clearing (ROC-BDC), composed of representatives from PNP, DILG, DOH, and PDEA.
On the other hand, the six barangays in Virac which are still drug-affected are Salvacion, Sta. Elena, Concepcion, Cavinitan, Palnab del Norte, and San Isidro Village.
The awarding held after the Monday flag-raising ceremony was led by PDEA Regional Director III Edgar T. Jubay, along with the Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council (PADAC) composed of Governor Joseph Cua, Vice Governor Peter Cua, PCol. Rayan V. Ador of the Catanduanes Provincial Police Office, Dir. Uldarico T. Razal of the DILG Catanduanes Provincial Office, IAV Roberto T. Sebastian of PDEA Catanduanes, and Rosella T. Navar of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office.
In his message, the provincial chief executive congratulated the leadership of the municipal mayors for achieving the status of drug-cleared municipalities.
“To achieve a 98.08% of drug-cleared barangays in eight municipalities is not an easy achievement. These promising statistics are a testament to our collective aspiration of making Catanduanes a safer place for all,” the governor said.
Gov. Cua also praised PDEA for taking the lead in ensuring a drug-free province. Likewise, he thanked the local police force and other agencies that support the comprehensive anti-drug programs both at the national and local levels.
Ironically, the following day, Feb. 13 at 11:53AM, elements of three police units under the supervision of Bato police officer-in-charge PMaj. Kenneth Ding Gutierrez arrested a truck helper for selling shabu to an undercover police officer in Guinobatan, Bato.
According to the report, the suspect, Charlie Tabor Lojo, 40, married and a resident of the barangay, is included in the Regional Recalibrated Priority Database on Illegal Drugs.
The operation was conducted by personnel of the Bato Municipal Police Station led by PMSg. Dennis B. Olfindo together with PDEA Catanduanes and the CATPPO Provincial Intelligence Unit-Drug Enforcement Unit, with the inventory witnessed by Binanuahan barangay kagawad Apolio Taroy and DOJ representative Rudy Templonuevo.
Seized from the suspect along with the one sachet containing white crystalline substance believed to be methamphetamine hydrochloride were two P500 bills used as buy-bust money and a piece of white paper.
The seized drug item was brought to the Provincial Forensic Unit at Camp Francisco Camacho where a laboratory examination confirmed the granules to be shaby with a weight of 0.2 gram and valued at P2,000.00.
A case for Violation of Section 5, Article II of Republic Act 9165 was filed against the suspect through inquest proceedings at the Office of the Provincial Prosecution.