Village chief marks own house with ‘X’

THE spray painting of houses of suspected drug pushers did not push through as planned when police operatives scoured anew Wednesday morning two villages where illegal drug activities are reportedly rampant.

But not for Barangay 23-C chief Amilbangsa Manding, who voluntarily sprayed with red paints the doors of his own house located in Barangay 26-C Poblacion.

Manding painted an "X" mark on at least two doors of the house, which he transformed into a boarding house to signify that drug pushers reside there.

Manding did this in the presence of members of the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) led by its director, Senior Superintendent Ronald dela Rosa, and other barangay officials.

The village chief was earlier chided by Davao City Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte for not doing anything to stop the rampant illegal drugs trade in his area.

Duterte said illegal drugs are being delivered in 23-C Mini Forest almost every day. The vice mayor also announced in his television program two Sundays ago that he received reports that Manding has been receiving protection money from drug dealers.

Immediately after Duterte expressed his disgust on television, Manding, together with police authorities, started conducting proactive drug eradication operations in several barangays, specially in 23-C and 26-C Poblacion.

The DCPO initially planned to spray houses of suspected drug pushers with red paints during the operation Wednesday, but decided not to push through with the plan after the Police Regional Office (PRO) cautioned dela Rosa on the repercussions of the act.

Dela Rosa, Sta. Ana Police Station commander Superintendent Ceazar Cabuhat, Manding and other barangay officals held a meeting Wednesday morning at the 23-C Poblacion barangay hall before making the rounds.

They then announced to the media that the planned spray painting of houses of suspected drug pushers won't push through.

"Gi-cautioned mi sa Police Regional Office nga dili nalang himuon ang pagmarka sa mga balay kay makuwestiyon mi sa Commission on Human Rights. So nausab ang among plano. Imbes markahan ilang mga balay, itudlo nalang ni kapitan ang mga balay nga gipuy-an sa mga drug pushers (We were cautioned by the Police Regional Office not to push through with the marking of houses because we might be questioned by the Commission on Human Rights. So, we changed our plan. Instead of marking the houses, we asked the barangay captain to pinpoint houses where drug pushers reside)," dela Rosa said.

Manding, however, insisted he had to mark his own house in 26-C Poblacion.

"Wala nay human, human rights sa ako. Ako na ang magmarka sa ilang gipuy-an (I don't believe in human rights. I'll be the one to mark their houses)," Manding said before going to his boarding house where two pushers allegedly are residing.

The suspected drug pushers are occupying the third floor of Manding's boarding house, although the doors were locked when Manding and police operatives arrived.

After marking the house, Manding, dela Rosa and the rest of the group went to the house of one alias "Dragon," believed to be a big supplier of shabu in Davao City.

The house was also locked inside and the group proceeded to other houses to continue with the drug eradication operation.

"Ako lang gipakita sa inyo ang ilang gipuy-an. Pasabot nga kining balaya ang among bantayan kay diri nagpuyo ang mga suspected drug pushers (I just wanted to show you their houses. This would mean that we will be making surveillance these houses because the suspected drug pushers live here)," Manding said.

Based on the list of police, there are around 40 suspected drug pushers in Isla Verde, which is part of 23-C Mini Forest.

"I've already talked to some residents and owners of those houses and I've learned that some of them already stop from the activity. But that doesn't mean na mutuo nalang mi na niundang sila. As long as they did not do anything against the law, mas labing maayo na," dela Rosa said.

"For those big-time drug pushers na balita nako tua na sa Marawi, ayaw namo'g balik diri (Davao City) if dili mo gusto madakpan or mamatay. Kung gusto mo ug gyera kamo mga involve sa drugs, come on down. Magtigi ta ninyo," he added. (With Alger Dura of Sun.Star SuperBalita Davao)