SSB holds POC meeting

SAFETY --- Sultan Sa Barongis Mayor Ramdatu Angas presiding over the Municipal Peace and Order Council Meeting. (ANNE ACOSTA - MINDANAO EXPOSE’)

SULTAN SA BARONGIS (SSB), Maguindanao --- This local government conducted its Peace and Order Council meeting last September 18 participated by the municipal officials and employees, the police, Philippine Army, as well as the 12 barangay chairmen and officials of the town.

Mayor Ramdatu Angas said that due to their commitment toward drug-free communities, the peace and order remains stable in the locality.

He said: “At the level of the local PNP, the 12 barangays are now drug-free.”

“But we are still waiting for the pronouncement of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) – Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao,” Mayor Angas said.

Angas said they encouraged communities to take a pro-active stance in the government’s fight against proliferation of illegal drugs.

As part of the local government’s commitment to eradicate drug activities, the municipal government previously conducted a barangay drug clearing lecture and consultation to further enlighten the community on the procedures of barangay drug-clearing operation. The one-day activity was participated by the 12 barangay chairmen of the town.

Junee Angas, president of the Liga ng mga Barangay, encouraged her fellow chairmen to strengthen their measures to prevent the spread of illegal drug activities.

“Let us help one another in making a stand to fight illegal drugs,” she said.

Municipal Local Government Operations Officer Jabbar Mohammad emphasized that the conduct of barangay drug-clearing operations in drug-affected barangays shall be conducted in three phases.

“First would be the Pre-Operation Phase where the activities to be undertaken under this stage shall commence with laying the groundwork and bases for effective and sustainable clearing operations against drug-affected barangays. Second is the Operation Phase where the objective of the operation phase is the actual implementation of drug supply and demand reduction strategies in priority drug-affected barangays. The last one is the Post – Operation Phase which aims to maintain the drug cleared status of the barangays after drug-clearing operations through support activities to be funded from the general fund of the barangay,” Mohammad said.

Mohammad added that the classification of barangays are observed in determining the priority areas for clearing operations.

“First, the drug-unaffected barangay where it has not ever been plagued or beset by any illegal drug activities. Second, the drug-affected barangay where there is existence of drug user, pusher, manufacturer, marijuana cultivator, or other drug personality, regardless of number. Third, the drug-cleared barangay where it is subjected to drug-clearing operations and declared free from any illegal drug activities,” Mohammad said.

        Further, it was learned from the PDEA that the parameters for declaring “drug-cleared” status of drugaffected barangays should be: non-availability of drug supply; absence of drug transit/trans-shipment activity; absence of clandestine drug laboratory; absence of clandestine drug warehouse; absence of clandestine chemical warehouse; absence of marijuana cultivation site; absence of drug den, dive, or resort; absence of drug pusher; absence of drug user/dependent; absence of protector/coddler and financier; active involvement of barangay officials in anti-drug activities; active involvement of  the Sangguniang Labataan to help maintain the drug-liberated status of the barangay; existence of drug awareness, preventive education and information, and other related programs; and existence of voluntary and compulsory drug treatment and rehabilitation processing desk.

Further, the municipal government continues to monitor the situation of the listed illegal drug surrenderees in the town so they will not be involved anymore in illegal drug activities.

“The prolonged peace and order stability somehow pays credit to the absence of illegal drugs within the locality,” Mayor Angas said. (GILMHAR A. LAO & ANNE B. ACOSTA - MINDANAO EXPOSE’)