10 MORE TO GO

NINE more barangays were declared by the city police here Thursday as drug-free, raising the number of drug-free barangays in Dagupan to 21.

P/Supt. Neil Miro, acting-police chief, said this brought to 67.6 percent of the total 31 barangays in the city already cleared.

In a ceremony at the city museum, Mayor Belen Fernandez signed the certifications declaring Barangays Caranglaan, Mayombo, Malued, Bacayao Sur, Bacayao Norte, Lasip Chico, Bonuan Binloc, Tambac and Lucao as drug free.

The certification was based on the resolution of the Barangay Drug Abuse Councils (BADACs) of their respective barangays that they had complied with all the parameters set by a Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) resolution, series of 2007, and the “Oplan: Dalus Droga” of the PNP.

A barangay can only be declared as drug free if there is no more drug pusher and user, and there is no drug laboratory and shabu “tiangge” in the barangay.

Declared drug free earlier in Dagupan were Barangays Mamalingling, Salisay, Tebeng, Pogo Grande, Mangin, Salapingao, Barangay IV, Lomboy, Poblacion Oeste and Calmay.

Miro assured the mayor that were no ‘shortcuts’ in the process in clearing the nine barangays, saying these were done through hard work with the full cooperation of barangay people and officials.

He showed files of profiles of drug users and pushers in every village to show the police and BADACs are keeping track of activities of all drug personalities in the barangays.

He said anyone who doubts the process can see him and he can show how the baranagays earned their new status.

The 12 barangays earlier declared drug free are maintaining their drug-free status, said Miro.

In a talk to newsmen, Miro said he expects four to five barangays more to be again declared drug-free next week but admitted that their real target is to have at least 90 percent of the 31 barangays in Dagupan drug-cleared by the end of the year.

Miro revealed that the number of drug personalities in the city that surrendered has reached 1,500 and his station is now targeting the newly emerged drug personalities.

Meanwhile, Fernandez called on barangay chairmen to do everything to ensure that their barangays maintain their status as drug-free.

She advised them to help idle and jobless residents find jobs because they are most vulnerable to drugs.

At the same time, she told to recommend who among the drug users/pushers in their villages can join the Program Sagip User Rehabilitation Empowerment (SURE) that already has 20 beneficiaries undergoing rehabilitation at the Treatment and Rehabilitation Center of the Department of Health (DOH).

The costs for the rehabilitation of beneficiaries are shouldered by the city government.

Meanwhile, some barangays have initiated community-based rehabilitation program through value formation and community activities, citing the 40 that surrendered in Barangay Tebeng that are now making a living by making and selling Christmas lanterns.

Meanwhile, Barangay Chairman Pedro Gonzales of Bonuan Binloc thanked the police for helping clear his barangay from illegal drugs, pointing out in the Project: Double Barrel, there were 97 drug personalities who surrendered.

He considers this as unprecedented after Bonuan Binloc was once tagged as the top drug lair of Dagupan in the past.

Gonzales told newsmen that the once notorious Sitio Silungan is now a community of peaceful people with the trouble-makers which included drug peddlers, already have gone home to Mindanao or were arrested.

He said the 10:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. curfew in the barangay helped maintain the peace while barangay officials are standing guard 24/7 to prevent the return of the notorious drug pushers to their village.

Miro stationed a squad from the Public Safety Battalion 1 in Sitio Silungan to see to it that no more drug transaction takes place. (Leonardo Micua)

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