Pagalungan holds POC meeting

SITUATIONAL UPDATES --- Mayor Salik P. Mamasabulod (2^nd from left) spearheaded last January 23 the Municipal Peace and Order Council meeting participated by municipal officials, line-agency representatives, and barangay officials. (GILMHAR A. LAO WITH PHOTO BY ANNE ACOSTA – MINDANAO EXPOSE’)

PAGALUNGAN, Maguindanao --- This local government unit conducted its Municipal Peace and Order  Council (MPOC) meeting with other special bodies last January 23 at the Sangguniang Bayan Session Hall with stakeholders at the gathering to present situationers and inputs on the agenda.

Mayor Salik P. Mamasabulod said the meeting updated the MPOC and special body members   on the status of peace and order, municipal anti-drug abuse council activities, disaster risk reduction and management drive, and the municipal development initiatives of the local government.

“This is our way of commitment to our populace, by ensuring them a safe and liveable community,” Mayor Mamasabulod said.

Pagalungan Chief of Police Senior Inspector Blayn Lomas-e gave updates on peace and order.

“We mark a very good record of crime low crime incidence. However, we would still want to get support from the populace in our barangays to closely coordinate with us should there be illegal activities,” Senior Inspector Lomas-e said.

In addition, Capt. Camsa of the 7^th Infantry Battalion discussed about the peace and security condition in the area of responsibility, while Brig. Gen.ManoloSamarita of the 602^nd Brigade also gave his.

“At this point, we encourage everyone, most especially our barangay officials and the constituents themselves, to report to us any suspicious activity within their barangays,” Brig. Gen.Samarita said.

Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Officer (MDRRMO) Benjamin S. Alip reported the DRR initiatives of the local government.

“The municipal DRRM Council of Pagalungan is ready should disaster takes place anytime. We have trained rescue responder team and our office is equipped,” Alip said.

Further, Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator Engr. Jose Larry Mendoza gave an update on municipal development initiatives, among other presenters.

Sometime late last year, several barangays in Pagalungan had been declared drug-free communities after the recent pronouncement of at least seven “drug-cleared” barangays and one “drug-free” barangay.

The drug-cleared barangays are Bagoenged, Buliok, Damalasak, Galakit, Kalbugan, Kudal, and Linandangan. Barangay Dalgan was declared as drug-free. Barangay Poblacion is yet to be cleared.

Unluckily, Barangays Inug-ug, Layog, and Kilanganfailed to meet the parameters for declaring “drug-cleared” status of drug-affected barangays.

During previous interview, Director Juvenal Azurin of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao said the announcement was made after series of evaluations and tests, duly certified by ther agency.

Meanwhile, the municipal government also urged the public to report any abuse or wrong doing committed by policemen not only to Philippine National Police  authorities but also to the People’s Law Enforcement Board (PLEB) in their barangays in support to the anti-drug war of the government.

“The board gives ordinary citizens the opportunity of power to complain against law enforcers who abuse their authority,” Mayor Mamasabulod said.

The PLEBs all over the country are powerful agencies which have the authority to discipline erring policemen.Among these powers are investigating and adjudicating all administrative charges formally filed with, or referred to it, against any PNP member, and to impose corresponding penalties that ranges from the withholding of the privileges, restriction to specified limits, suspension or forfeiture of salary or fine, demotion in rank of not more than one rank or dismissal from the service of the erring police.(GILMHAR A. LAO & ANNE ACOSTA– MINDANAO EXPOSE’)