Espino rallies kapitans to join war vs illegal drugs
FOR A DRUG-FREE PANGASINAN
LINGAYEN–Gov. Amado Espino Jr. did not mince words in rallying support among the barangay kapitans as he vowed to devote his remaining 18 months in office in the war against illegal drugs in a bid to make Pangasinan drug-free.
He made the pledge during the Provincial Anti-Illegal Drug Summit he convened last December 10 to launch the start of a no non-sense campaign against what is considered as the second biggest problem of the country next only to poverty.
The summit initiated by the Liga ng Barangay (LnB) Federation headed by Board Member Amado Espino III was attended by members of the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council (BADAC), chiefs of police from 48 towns and cities in Pangasinan, other government officials and stakeholders.
The younger Espino said, “This summit is to equip our barangay captains in the war vs illegal drugs. This isn’t just a mere lip service.”
The summit, organized by the provincial government, was supported by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Philippine National Police.
The call to action was prompted by the report of the Pangasinan Police Provincial Office (PPPO) that drug trafficking in the province has become serious, citing the operations of 497 drug personalities in Pangasinan, 47 of them are listed in as prime targets while 18 are in the wanted list.
“You are in the front line in the war against illegal drugs,” Espino told the barangay officials and reminded them of their duties and responsibilities in preventing drug addiction and drug transactions in their respective communities.
He stressed that the BADACs would know who the drug addicts are and who supply the illegal drugs in their villages and, therefore, should take the initiative to report these activities to their police
The same thought was echoed by both DILG Undersecretary Tomasito Villarin who represented DILG Secretary Mar Roxas, and DDB Undersecretary Rommel Garcia who subbed for Secretary Antonio Villar Jr., DDB chairman.
Espino brought the drug problem into sharper focus by citing implications and impact of having a drug addict in the family. “If a family has a drug addict, the whole family is affected and since the family is part of the community, the whole community and eventually the town or city will also be affected soon,” he intoned.
He also cited the recent arrest of a policeman in Bayambang who was reportedly involved in drug trafficking which he said demonstrates that even lawmen, attracted by the lure of quick profits, succumb to the influence of illegal drugs.
Espino also warned of the extent of the network of drug syndicates in the country with the discovery of the activities of the notorious drug lord inside the Bilibid.
The governor said these developments compel him to support moves to restore death penalty in the country and to be served to persons involved in illegal drugs, particularly agents of the law.
However, Espino noted that some mayors, who head their Municipal Anti-Drug Abuse Councils (MADAC) did not attend the summit and he suspects politics had something to do with their absence. “I urge them not to bring politics into the campaign against illegal drugs,” he said.
Meanwhile, the PPPO situationer point to shabu and marijuana as the drug of choice in Pangasinan, and the illegal drugs are being transported to the cities of Dagupan and Urdaneta from Metro Manila and Cavite and distributed to a network of pushers in the province.
P/Superintendent Benjamin Ariola, chief of Provincial Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force, said while there are no drug laboratories in Pangasinan he alerted the barangay captains to intensify their watch in their respective villages as a syndicate may likely be planning to put up one in the province after the NBI busted a drug laboratory in Camiling, Tarlac where they seized P1 billion worth of shabu.
During the summit, the stakeholders signed a pledge of commitment to the campaign against illegal drugs in order to make Pangasinan drug free. (Leonardo Micua)
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