Abrahano: 19 Dagupan barangays now drug affected
THERE IS HOPE FOR THE CITY
P/SUPERINTENDENT Christopher Abrahano, chief of police of Dagupan City, has confirmed that 19 or 60 percent of the 31 barangays of Dagupan are now drug-affected but has not lost hope that the city will soon become drug-free.
In a Q- and-A texted to him by The PUNCH while he was attending the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPUC) meeting in Vigan City presided over by Mayor Belen Fernandez, Abrahano sent his responses via text as well.
In brief, he confirmed his station has 30 target personalities who he said are hard pushers, and almost 500 persons in the barangay watch list.
But he said: “We are still better off than other independent/ urbanized cities. As far as law enforcement is concerned.”
This year, he said the Dagupan Police recorded the highest number of anti-drug operations in the whole Region 1 and received citation for having the most number of drug arrests and seizures.
Dagupan, the police chief said, has a working CADAC (City Anti-Drug Abuse Council) and a mayor (Belen Fernandez) who understands that the drug problem is not solely a law enforcement problem but largely, a deeply rooted social ill brought about by loose morals, poverty and inadequate family values.
“While the police must and is doing its job of breaking down doors, Mayor Belen takes a knee and concentrates on these actionable problems (job generation, poverty alleviation, family/child protection, housing, values formation etc, drug abuse prevention education).”
Abrahano said under Mayor Fernandez, volunteerism (program) is alive in the city, adding that there are several Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) helping the police in demand reduction and abuse prevention.
“Not all is lost for a drug-free Dagupan. In fact, I have reason to believe that we could declare as drug free some barangays that have shown enthusiasm in the fight against drugs.”
Asked on which barangays do not have active BADAC, he said all barangays have established theirs and posed the question:, “Are they formulating effective anti drug programs?”
Abrahano still considers Barangays Bonuan Binloc, Bonuan Gueset, Pantal and Nueva Street in Baranga 1&2 as the most problematic villages when it comes to illegal drugs.
Asked if a drug-free Dagupan is still possible and what does it takes, he said: “I’m very optimistic that it will happen, for so long as the people recognize that this (illegal drugs) is not just a police problem.”
“Yes, you can even blame this to the good old cliche’–poverty, lack of family values etc. But when people start calling the police to intervene, often, it is too late. The cancer has already metastasized.” he said.
He added that he still believes good law enforcement should be coupled with effective demand reduction to beat the odds.
“Lately, we even beat Taguig City PNP if sheer number of operations lang ang pag uusapan. (Ill get back to u wid Taguig PNP data vis a vis Dag PNP data later).
“Imagine, Probinsyanong Dagupans Finest beating Taguig PNP? There is hope,” he ended. (Leonardo Micua)
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