WAR ON DRUGS

LINGAYEN–The Liga ng Barangay Provincial Federation is alarmed by the series of crackdowns by the police against Barangay chairmen in Pangasinan for their suspected involvement in illegal drugs, that resulted in the killing of some by criminals riding in tandem and in police operations.

Liga ng Barangay Federation president and ex-officio Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) member Jinky Zaplan expressed her concern over the developments targeting barangay kapitans but admitted she cannot do anything as the police are only performing their mandate as law enforcers.

Four kapitans were arrested by the police on November 10 during an Operation One-Time, Big-Time in Bayambang while another remains at-large after the police simultaneously served 10 search warrants in the houses of these officials whom the police tagged as high-value targets on illegal drugs.

According to P/Supt. Jackie Candelario, deputy police director for operations in Pangasinan, the arrested barangay officials, including a former municipal councilor of Bayambang, are still in jail because the cases filed against them were non-bailable since the alleged shabu found in their houses exceeded the weight sanctioned by law for a bailable offense.

A kapitan in Malasiqui was also recently arrested.

KIlled in a police operation sometime in September was the barangay kapitan of Tayambani, San Carlos City who the police tagged as another high-value target for his involvement in illegal drugs as well as in gun-for-hire activities.

Also killed by unidentified suspect was the Alaminos City’s Liga ng Barangay president and a barangay captain in Urdaneta and Payas, Sta. Barbara.

Zaplan said the Liga chapter president of San Quintin was also a victim of a shooting incident weeks back.

She said provincial Liga cannot intervene for its members since these are police matters.

“We are bothered and do not know what to do. In fact, some of us are already afraid because of this turn of events,” Zaplan said in an interview after the SP session last Nov. 14.

She said, they are seeking a a dialogue with Acting Police Provincial Director Ronald Oliver Lee for guidance even as some barangay kapitans have already responded to the call of the resolution she filed in the SP urging them to take drug tests with their kagawads.

Because there are 1,333 barangays in Pangasinan, Zaplan is pushing for random drug testing by district to ensure better compliance.

In her town, Sta. Barbara where her husband, Carlito Zaplan, is the town mayor, she said the drug testing of her colleagues have started but the process has not been completed for all. (Leonardo Micua)

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