Dagupan COP cites new requirement for failure
STILL NO CITY BARANGAY DRUG-CLEARED
IF Dagupan residents are wondering why none of their 31 barangays have been declared drug-cleared, Dagupan police chief P/Lt. Colonel Abubakar Mangelen Jr. attributed it to the new and added requirement of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA): All drug surrenderers must be made to undergo three drug tests every month for three months.
This was the explanation offered by Mangelen to the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP), as he revealed that there are some 2,000 drug surrenderers in the city’s 31 barangays who need to undergo the third drug test.
He said the 3-month period is to ensure that the drug surrenderers have stopped taking drugs after attending the required community-based rehabilitation program conducted by the City Anti-Drug Abuse Councils (CADAC) in coordination with the police and other government agencies.
Mangelen cited other reasons for the failure of the city’s barangays to be drug-cleared: 1) It has not been easy to assemble the drug surrenderers all at one time. 2) The availability of personnel of the City Health Office to administer the drug tests.
However, he named Barangay Lucao and another barangay located in the Poblacion that will likely be declared drug-cleared soon because their drug surrenderers have been reported to have completed the third drug test and are simply awaiting the results.
He said one positive result of drug-use of one drug surrenderer will cause the disqualification of the barangay.
Meanwhile, Mangelen said those who turn positive of illegal drug-use after a drug test are required to submit themselves for another voluntary drug rehabilitation or be subjected to police operations and records show more surrenderers refused to submit themselves for rehabilitation offered by the government.
He assured the SP that once a barangay is declared drug-cleared, he would make sure the barangay remains drug-free.
He said some LGUs were lucky to be declared drug-cleared before the new requirement of a third drug test was added. (Leonardo Micua)
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