MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur (PIA)—The security sector and local government units in the province of Lanao del Sur continue to beef up efforts in the fight against illegal drugs.
Police Provincial Director PCol. Jibin Bongcayao reported during the joint meeting of the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) and Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council (PADAC) that a joint operation was recently conducted by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Philippine National Police (PNP), Armed Forces of the Philippine (AFP), and the local government unit in the municipality of Maguing which resulted to the confiscation of prohibited drugs with an estimated value of P15.2 million.
This has also led to the arrests of seven drug personalities with illegal possession of explosives and firearms. Accordingly, the said suspects were detained at Maguing Municipal Police Station for further investigation and filing of appropriate charges in court.
Meanwhile, the Barangay Drug Clearing Program continues to gain ground in the province as more barangays have been declared drug-cleared or drug-free.
In a deliberation held in Cagayan de Oro City on June 16-18, the Regional Oversight Committee on Barangay Drug Clearing Program declared 22 barangays in the province as drug-cleared and one drug-free, while 33 retained their drug-cleared status, and 20 were as 20 drug-free barangays.
These drug-cleared barangays are in Amai Manabilang (10), Kapatagan (8), Masiu (10), Marogong (12), Pagayawan (6), Pualas (4), and Wao (5) while drug-free baramgays are in Amai Manabilang (3), Masiu (1), Marogong (7), Piagapo (7), and Pagayawan (3).
PDEA-BARMM Chief Operations Officer Marlon Santos, who reported the progress of efforts to fight illegal drugs during the PPOC-PADAC meeting, said nine municipalities of Lanao del Sur are also candidates for drug-cleared municipalities. These are Amai Manabilang, Calanogas, Kapai, Kapatagan, Lumbatan, Masiu, Madalum, Pagayawan, and Piagapo.
“Mayroon na tayong almost nine municipalities na ‘by principle’ are declared as drug-cleared municipalities. Pero di pa kami nakabigay ng certificate dahil may kailangan pang documentary requirements,” he said.
[We already have almost nine municipalities that ‘by principle’ are declared as drug-cleared municipalities. But we have not yet issued the certificate because there are still documentary requirements.]
Santos further called for cooperation and collaboration of all stakeholders so that more barangays in the province will get on the barangay drug clearing program bandwagon. (APB/PIA-10/Lanao del Sur)
Photo Release:
Lanao del Sur Police Provincial Director PCol. Jibin Bongcayao reports, during the joint meeting of the Provincial Peace and Order Council and Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council, the accomplishments of the provincial PNP which include anti-illegal drugs operations. (Michael John Paclar/PIA-10/Lanao del Sur)
