All-out war vs illegal drugs
DAGUPAN CITY—“We need a chemist and a drug testing lab”.
Mayor Belen T. Fernandez idenfied these as initial requirements after she reconstituted the City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (CADAC) on June 25 and declared a no-nonsense all-out war against the drug syndicates operating in the city.
The new council is now headed by Atty. Gonzalo T. Duque as chairman and P/Sr. Supt. Christopher N. Abrahano, city police chief, is vice chairman. Fernandez is honorary chairman.
The mayor stressed urgency to have an accredited chemist and a drug testing laboratory for faster processing and authentication of evidence to prosecute suspected illegal drugs and for quick resolution of drug cases.
The city’ two requirements were prompted by the National Bureau of Investigation’s report that there is only one chemist at the Police Provincial Office in Lingayen that authenticates illegal substances.
City Legal Officer George M. Mejia, a retired city court judge, confirmed that the lack of a local chemist and facilities to verify authenticity of illegal drugs are among the common problems faced by court judges hearing drug cases.
The mayor is set to request the Sangguniang Panlungsod to pass a resolution asking the Department of Budget and Management to provide funds for the establishment of a DOH-Dangerous Drugs Board Accredited special laboratory for drug testing, hire a chemist, and train teachers for anti-drug education in schools.
Meanwhile, City Prosecutor Joven M. Maramba reported that while the conviction rate for drug cases in the city has risen to 75 percent, the prosecution office, however, continues to encounter problems in establishing correct names of drug detainees from Mindanao because they have no birth records as reference.
“This problem greatly affects the validity of warrants of arrest and search warrants,” Maramba said.
This led the mayor to direct Local Civil Registry Officer Digna C. Liwanag to do a thorough registration of all residents in Dagupa, particularly in designated Muslim communities.
Meanwhile, the Dagupan City police, in an updated report, identified three drug hotspots in the city namely, Barangays Bonuan Binloc, Bonuan Gueset and Pantal.
The PDEA listed only Bonuan Binloc and Bonuan Gueset as the barangays “seriously affected”.
Fernandez also vowed to secure more intelligence funds from Malacanang for the city police’s anti-drug operations.
Meanwhile, City Social Welfare and Development Officer-In-Charge Leah L. Aquino was already directed to start screening patients for drug treatment and rehabilitation at the newly-built drug treatment and rehabilitation center in Bonuan Binloc which is now operational.
The mayor said the completion of the center’s building, funded mainly by the Dangerous Drugs Board through thte intiativie of Sec. Antonio Villar Jr. DDB chairman, is timely because it can effectively upport the city’s total approach to the campaign.
“Our anti-drug campaign will go beyond the usual poster or slogan making contest. It will involve consultation meetings and participation of Parents-Teachers Association, parish pastoral council, barangays and the Philippine Medical Society, and national agencies, particularly DDB and PDEA,” Fernandez said. –with report from CIO/Joseph C. Bacani
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