THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) over the weekend declared the Municipality of San Simon as drug-cleared after it complied with all the requirements set forth by the Barangay Drug-Clearing Oversight Committee.

According to this town’s outgoing chief of police Major Elias Tait, the drug-cleared status is a result of the strict implementation of the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) comprehensive strategy to combat the proliferation of illegal drugs.

Tait said the strategies include the optimization of the anti-illegal drugs operations, revamping of “Oplan Tokhang” by involving the community, and focusing on the rehabilitation of surrendering drug suspects to ensure that they will abandon their vices.

“Before we arrived to our status today, we were able to arrest a total of 58 drug suspects and serve two search warrants in relation to illegal drugs, and that is all part of our strategy to totally stamp out illegal drugs in our community,” he said.

Tait also cited the support of the local government which is vital in the PNP’s implementation of its anti-illegal drug campaign.

PDEA-Central Luzon director Lyndon Aspacio, meanwhile, said that the town’s drug-cleared status came after a rigid scrutiny of the requirements and verification and validation processes, including the 14 parameters set by the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) under its “Strengthening the Implementation of the Barangay Drug Clearing Program” board regulation.

“We have a very strict process in declaring a drug-cleared status and San Simon was able to comply with them all and it only shows that it is possible and we are hopeful that other municipalities and even cities will be inspired and emulate this,” he said.

Mayor Abundio “JP” Punsalan, Jr., for his part, expressed gratitude to the local police and officials of the 14 villages here for their support and cooperation in the government’s anti-illegal drug campaign.

More than an award, Punsalan said the status will serve as a challenge to the local police and government in ensuring that its communities will remain free from the infestation of illegal drugs and its dangerous effects, especially to the youth.

“This is in line with our vision to bring a better future to the youth of San Simon and ensure that their lives will not be ruined by the use of illegal drugs,” he said.

Punsalan also warned drug pushers to spare San Simon from their illegal activities or face the rule of law.

“We are serious in maintaining our status. Come here and we will make sure that it will only be jail or the cemetery that you will be in next,” he said.