Bonuan Binloc, a black eye

By Bebot Villar

 

THERE were varied reactions to my speech sa 115^th anniversary of the Philippine Independence Day celebration in Dagupan, particularly tungkol sa rampant illegal drugs sa Dagupan.

Para sa ilang officials, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency’s (PDEA) report na nasa Category 1 ang Barangay Bonuan Binloc ng Dagupan bilang seriously-drug affected, ay isang wake-up call. That problem has been going on for years, sabi ng ilan and some people do not recognize the existence of the problem. Nasa denial stage sila for the longest time.

For some, isang malaking expose ito at mukhang nabulabog sila. Tama lang na mabulgar yan daw because matagal nang natatakot ang mga residents ng mga drug-affected barangays and are already losing hope na maresolba ang problemang ito.

But let me clarify that I did not merely expose that just for the sake of exposing it. Hindi ko na kailangan pang i-detail kung anong actions na ang nagawa at ginagawa ko to pressure our counterparts to act on this problem. Yang droga na yan ang pinaka-ayaw ko sa lahat!  That is why sa bayan ko mismo, bawal ang mga addicts at pushers doon kundi may kalalagyan sila. At maliwanag yun sa kanila because I really mean it.

So I was happy that media enthusiastically reported about my advocacy na ibulgar ang katotohanan and to protect the communities, lalo na ang mga kabataan, na kawawang biktima ng illegal drugs. May ilan lang siguro na taga-Pangasinan media who refuse to acknowledge the problem at imbis maki- isa ay babatikos pa. Good luck sa inyo at sana hindi mabiktima ang mga anak nyo.

Those who have been avidly following our weekly thoughts know na I have been regularly discussing this problem because as a Pangasinense and I, as the chairman of the Dangerous Drugs Board, gusto kong matapos na ang problemang ito. Isang malaking black eye ito sa image ng Dagupan na sikat na sikat pa naman bilang Bangus Capital. Will Dagupeňos allow illegal drugs to flourish here?

Kapag nasa Category 1 ka sa PDEA, it means mayroon at least one suspected drug laboratory, warehouse, den or similar establishment. Sa buong Pangasinan, only Bonuan Binloc is listed under this category. There are three other barangays in Dagupans that are classified under Category 2, namely, Barangays Bonuan Gueset, Bonuan Boquig and Lucao. Ibig sabihin nito these are moderately affected or there is an existence of at least one suspected drug pusher or trafficker.

Across Pangasinan, meron pang 73 others under Category 2, meaning moderately-affected and one barangay under Category 3, meaning slightly-affected. If you recall, I had written about my concern bakit ang provincial government ng Pangasinan ay natutulog yata sa kcampaign laban sa drugs. Pati nga yong Provincial Anti Drug Abuse Coordinating Council ay ilang taon na inactive until this corner exposed it, prompting the provincial leadership to reactivate it prior to the elections.

*          *          *          *

While it is true na marami ng successful anti-drug operations ang mga joint elements ng PDEA and local PNP, patuloy pa rin ang drug pushing, lalo na sa Bonuan Binloc.

Si Binloc Kap Pedro Gonzales, walang puknat ang mga paliwanag sa interviews. Aligaga sa pag-depensa. Bakit nga ba Kap identified ang barangay mo ng PDEA na nasa Category 1 kung wala naman palang katotohanan? Wala raw sa family niya ang drug lord or protector. Kap, easy lang. Sino bang nagsasabi na drug lord ka or any member of your family?

As I repeatedly maintained, alam na alam ng mga kapitan kung sinu-sino ang mga nakatira sa barangay nila na maski sa mga kwento-kwento lang over bottles of beer, alam kung sino ang mga bagong salta at kung sinu-sino ang mga may suspicious movements.

Kap, sana makikipagtulungan na kayo sa mga authorities to once and for all wipe out this drug menace in your barangay. Magiging kasangga nyo pa ako. Itigil na natin ang finger-pointing kung sino ang may sala kung bakit humantong sa ganito ang problemang ito. It’s time to work together. Hihintayin pa ba nating ang barangay natin ay tuluyang maging kanlungan ng mga addicts at pugad ng mga pushers?  Hindi ba kayo natatakot?

Kaya while we give due credit to our law enforcement agencies, there should be more aggressive operations and strategies to totally stop this. Ito ngayon ang challenge hindi lang to our police at local government officials but most especially sa mga barangay officials who should be in the forefront in the fight against illegal drugs. Sana ay magka-isa na ang lahat upang matigil na ang problemang ito. Hindi lang ito trabaho ng PDEA, PNP, DDB, local government at barangay officials. Dapat lahat tayo sama-sama. Kung mananatiling quiet at takot ang mga tao na mag-report, walang patutunguhan ang labang ito.

*          *          *          *

After I delivered my speech, off I went to the Drug Rehabilitation Center being constructed in Binloc. Nagbigay ng P10-million ang DDB for the construction of the dormitory.  Sa nakita ko sa aking inspection, inuna pala ang admin building at yong dormitory ay bitin pa rin ang construction nito. Dapat sana maski nag umpisa na muna sa maliit tapos habang tumatagal ay nag e-expand na.

The DDB, under my stewardship, is more than willing to give more funds provided that the detailed liquidation report that we are asking from Dr. Roland Mejia in whose hands the project is being constructed would furnish my office the soonest.

Kung mabilis kumilos, maraming pwedeng ma-accomplish! Kaya sana, aksyon na, agad-agad!

*          *          *          *

Jail the pushers but save the users. Honestly, I want more than jail for the pushers dahil maraming buhay ang sinisira nila.

Back to Homepage

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments