NEGROS Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson revealed that the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Noppo) has proposed a P24 million anti-drug security plan during a closed door briefing at Camp Alfredo Montelibano Sr. Monday, July 15, 2019.

Lacson revealed that the briefing was attended by several mayors in the province.

The governor said that Colonel Romeo Baleros, Noppo director, presented to them a 10-year plan to combat illegal drugs and contraband in the province.

He asked for a P24 million budget for his proposed Shield Security Plan, Lacson said.

It will cover trainings and equipment among others, he said.

Earlier, Baleros said the Shield Security Plan aims to secure the shorelines of the province.

The security plan will also prevent the entry of threat groups from other islands to Negros Occidental.

Under the concept of the shield security plan, Baleros said Noppo will utilize the resources of local government units and barangays, including the Bantay Dagat, to secure the shorelines in their respective areas, to help monitor the entry of contraband.

Baleros admitted that the Philippine National Police (PNP) Maritime Command, Philippine Navy and Coast Guard are facing a hard time in securing the vast coastlines of Negros Island, and its numerous ports.

He noted that drug groups are now very smart in the delivery and trafficking of illegal drugs.

Baleros said he will recommend to Lacson and to the PNP headquarters that they hire narcotics dogs, to boost their campaign against the entry of illegal drugs in various ports.

The ports of Escalante, Sagay, Cadiz, San Carlos, Toboso in northern Negros have been identified by the police among the entry points of illegal drugs in the province.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines has its own Task Force Buglas. Its focus is against terrorism, where the police plays a supportive role.

Meanwhile, Lacson said that two chemists from the Police Regional Office (PRO)-Western Visayas will arrive in August to man the Crime Lab at the Noppo headquarters.

In the past, items recovered from drug raids is still being sent to PRO-Western Visayas Crime Lab for analysis because there was no personnel assigned to man the local office.