PDEA: Almost all Dagupan barangays drug affected
DAGUPAN City still cannot be declared drug- free. Reason: Almost all the barangays are still drug-affected.
This was reported by Investigator/Agent Rudyard Bartolome of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Pangasinan to the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) last week, July 23.
The statement immediately drew sharp retort from barangay captains who maintained that their villages have already been cleared months earlier by the then chief of police of Dagupan, P/Lt. Colonel Jandale Sulit.
They said PDEA’s report rebukes efforts of the previous past police chief.
Asked by Councilor Cisco Flores how many PDEA personnel are operating in Pangasinan, Bartolome said there are 15 but despite their manpower lack, PDEA’s operations are done in coordination with the local police and other agencies in Pangasinan.
According to Bartolome, PDEA focuses on drug supply reduction, particularly targeting big volumes of drugs, including high-value targets and conducting high-impact operations in Dagupan and elsewhere in Pangasinan.
Simultaneous with demand reduction campaign is the conduct of preventive education and community involvement by a special group in the PDEA regional office that conducts the lectures on drug abuse.
Meanwhile, in an interview over Aksyon Radyo Dagupan’s “Usapang Pulis” two days later, July 25, P/Colonel Redrico Maranan, police provincial director, confirmed PDEA’S report when he tagged the cities of San Carlos, Dagupan and Urdaneta as sources of illegal drugs being traded in the province.
Maranan siad he will discuss the status of Dagupan per PDEA’s report with P/Lt. Colonel Abubacar Mangelen Jr., Dagupan chief of police.
Maranan also confirmed that six towns reverted back to the status of drug-affected from drug-cleared. (Leonardo Micua)
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