Sagarbarria vows all-out campaign vs illegal drugs

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines — Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria said his administration’s top priority this year is the drive against illegal drugs.

The mayor, in a press briefing, said the city government, in collaboration with the City Council and the city’s Peace and Order Council will institute more measures to ensure the illegal drugs problem will be minimized, if not eradicated.

Among the measures are the procurement of  sniffing dogs, costing about P25-million, and installation of  Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras, worth about P50 million..

“We don’t want the city to be under the control of a drug cartel. We will be fighting (this problem) at all costs,” said Sagarbarria after discussing with the media and the police on the recent spate of shootings in the city, which resulted in public outcry.

Sagarbarria was however frustrated over what he described as inaccurate and irresponsible reporting of the shooting incidents since last year, because this will hurt the city’s image and most likely affect investments.

“We are working hard to bring in investors,” said the mayor, adding that the inaccurate reporting of the series of killings in Dumaguete will result in a negative image for the city.

Sagarbarria and Supt. James Goforth, city police chief, were apparently referring to the misuse of the term “extrajudicial” killings in Dumaguete as well as reports of unsolved murders in the previous year to the present.

Key church leaders and the public in general have been using the term “extrajudicial killings” on print and broadcast media but the police have denied that government authorities have a hand in the shooting incidents, because majority of  the victims were related to the illegal-drugs problem.  (FREEMAN)