MABALACAT CITY -- Mayor Marino Morales has directed the village leaders in the city to activate their respective Barangay Anti Drug Abuse Council (Badac) that will implement programs to eradicate the drug problem.
The mayor, who chairs the Mabalacat City Anti-Drugs Abuse Council (Macadac), said that the barangays are at the forefront of the fight against illegal drugs.
Drug affected villages should intensify the campaign against the menace, said Morales.
“Drugs are the root of all evils. Majority of crimes committed are drug-related,” he added.
The local chief executive said the city government, through the City Health Office, established the Bahay Pagbabago at the Mawaque resettlement to assist suspected drug pushers and users who surrendered.
“We will implement programs in line with our anti-drugs drive and we will provide support to our BADACs,” Morales said.
Morales earlier lauded the city police for its accomplishments on the war against illegal drugs.
The mayor said that the Mabalacat City Police Station, under the leadership of Superintendent Juritz Rara, is one of the police offices in Pampanga that have the most number of apprehensions of drug personalities.
Morales at the same time directed the police officers to always protect themselves against drug pushers and users during operations.
“That is my marching order, when their life is in danger, unahan na nila ang mga suspects,” Morales said, who also vowed to continue logistical support to the local police’s drive against criminality and illegal drugs.
According to the mayor, the city government has provided several patrol cars and other equipment to the local police.
Aside from this, Morales also announced the construction of two additional police stations at the commercial district of Dau and the Mabalacat city proper.
“We are providing all the logistical support that the city police can get in order to eradicate the drug problem in our beloved city,” Morales said.