Drugs affect more CV villages

CEBU CITY— The number of drug-infested barangays in Central Visayas has dramatically increased because of law enforcers’ laxity, but police authorities are instead passing the buck to barangay officials.

In this city, some barangay captains have admitted that they have not been actively helping the police in the campaign against illegal drugs for fear of reprisals because drug lords employ armed men to protect their trade.

But councilor Eugenio Faelnar, president of the city’s Association of Barangay Councils, said barangay officials should not be afraid.

The Freeman learned that the city government has issued firearms to barangay officials who were hesitant to help the police.

Lawyer Paul Clarence Oaminal, consultant of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, criticized barangay officials who have not been helping the police in the drive against illegal drugs, asking them to resign from their posts.

Statistics of the regional police office show that the city’s 80 barangays have been affected by illegal drugs, and 14 of them remain seriously affected.

The police said a barangay is considered seriously affected when 2.5 percent or more of its residents are drug dependents or when there are pushers and drug dealers or marijuana plantations in the community.

In Mandaue City — where shabu laboratories were recently busted — 27 barangays are categorized as drug-affected, but none of them are considered seriously affected.

A ranking regional police official said the number of drug-affected barangays in Central Visayas could have been lesser had barangay officials created barangay anti-drug abuse councils (BADACs). — Freeman News Service