Police, Moro leaders ink pact to fight drug trafficking
THE Dagupan police and leaders of the Moro community in Sitio Silongan, Bonuan Binloc signed a memorandum of agreement on November 3 in a bid to finally end the unabated illegal drug trading in the area.
The MOA was signed by Superintendent Romeo Caramat Jr. and elder Muslims, witnessed by Dagupan Mayor Benjamin Lim.
Caramat said the MOA stipulates, among other things, that any one from the community who is caught pushing illegal drugs would have his or her house demolished immediately.
Curfew hours in the area will be set from 8:00 p.m. to sunrise the next day.
An ID system will also be adopted and those without a valid identification card will not be allowed into the area at night.
Caramat said he had requested a 14-man team from the Police Provincial Office to be stationed at Sitio Silongan for a 24/7 monitoring.
Lim, addressing the community, warned drug peddlers in the area and appealed to its leaders to be sincere in wanting to help end the problem.
Both Lim and Caramat issued stern warnings against the drug pushers, telling them to move out.
Sitio Silongan was earlier tagged by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) as the area where most of the illegal drugs in the city and other parts of the province are being distributed.
Minors from the area were also found to be serving as mules to drug syndicates.
Meanwhile, a Moro leader in government, said the conflict between the national government and the people of Muslim Mindanao can be traced to unequal opportunities.
Hadja Alnajar Lazo, Northern Luzon Director for National Commission on Muslim Filipinos, said most of the Moros in Mindanao are not getting due opportunities because the government usually appoint men from Luzon instead of qualified local residents to hold government positions in the area.
Revenues generated from the area are also being transferred to Luzon instead of being used for the development of the area, she said during the assembly.
Due to this unresolved conflict, many Moros migrate to other places such as in Dagupan hoping to find better opportunities.
She urged her fellow Moros to work on improving their lives by following the Islam principle of peace, as expressed in their greetings “Assalamu Alaikum”, which means peace be upon you. (with report from PIA-Pangasinan)
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