Kapitans told: Take mandatory drug tests
LINGAYEN—The provincial board of Pangasinan passed a resolution Monday urging all barangay captains and members of barangay council in the province to undergo drug testing.
Board Member Jeanne Jinky Zaplan, president of the provincial federation of the Liga ng Barangay in Pangasinan and author of the resolution, said “there is now an urgent need to take a serious and more comprehensive program to fight illegal drugs not only in the urban areas but more so in the barangays.”
She cited the important roles that the barangay captains, councilmen, secretaries and treasurers play in their respective localities “since they are in the forefront of development in the promotion of peace, order and security.”
“Considering the roles of the barangays in development as self-reliant communities and the barangay officials as basic service providers, there is indeed a necessity for them to undergo drug testing as they are the living exemplar of the people,” the resolution said.
Zaplan said implementation of drug testing program in the barangays will ensure that the reins of good governance in that level will be in the hands of officials best chosen by the people who are drug-free and who can better serve their constituents, especially so now that the barangay election is again in the offing.
She added that funds from the Barangay and Municipal Anti-Drug Abuse Councils should be used for the drug test.
Pangasinan is the biggest province in Region 1 comprising of 44 municipalities and three cities covering 1,333 barangays.
Earlier, the Pangasinan Police Provincial Office (PPPO) reported that at least 1,074 barangays or 78.74 percent of the total 1,364 barangays in Pangasinan, including a number of barangays in Dagupan City, are drug affected.
A barangay is said to be drug-affected when there are known drug users, pushers, and or drug manufacturer, marijuana cultivator or other drug personalities regardless of number in the area.
Two weeks ago, barangay officials of Binmaley town already underwent drug tests. (Tita Roces)
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