ANGELES CITY -- "Drug pushers have no place in Angeles City, not under my watch."
These were the words of Mayor Carmelo "Pogi" Lazatin during his inaugural speech on Monday as he warned to go after illegal drug pushers with the help of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
PDEA Deputy Director General Irish Calaguas vowed to extend the PDEA's resources to make the city's 33 barangays drug-cleared, according to Lazatin.
"Angeles City is lucky enough that one of his daughters and one of my father's trusted personnel was appointed chief of staff and acting deputy director general of PDEA, the lead agency in President Duterte's war against illegal drugs," Lazatin said.
At present, 31 out the 33 villages in the city are drug-affected, the new city mayor disclosed.
Lazatin said Calaguas will assist his administration in setting up the city's Balay Silangan reformation center.
"This is a community-based reformation center for drug pushers. We will be reforming drug offenders and reintegrating them back as productive members of the society," he said.
At least three PDEA agents are currently undergoing training to assist the city government in establishing its Sagip Batang Solvent reformation center, Lazatin said.
"This will be the first center outside Metro Manila. Through this center, we can now rid and clear our streets of children sniffing solvent or rugby boys and at the same time we can reform and save their lives and future," the mayor said.
Lazatin said his administration will provide PDEA a satellite office at the city hall compound.
"We will be providing them operational support to crack down illegal drugs, high-value targets operating in our city," the mayor said. "May this serve as a stern warning to illegal drug pushers. You have no place in Angeles City, not under my watch."
Lazatin said his administration is one with President Duterte in intensifying the war against drugs.
"We will also implement a drug-free workplace in Angeles City by conducting a surprise mandatory drug test to all our employees. Those who will be tested positive will be dismissed but will be given proper intervention," the mayor added.
Addressing the problem on illegal drugs is actually addressing the problem on peace and order since 70 percent of the crimes are drug-related, he said.
"While we have one of the lowest crime rates in the region, nobody wants to become a statistic crime victim. There is a lot to be done in crime prevention. And in the prevention of peace and order in the city, the drug problem is one of the major concerns," Lazatin said.
The newly-installed mayor also urged the people to participate in his crusade to make Angeles a drug-free city.
"We ask each and every responsible citizen to join me in our crusade to make Angeles City drug-cleared through our collective and continued vigilance," Lazatin said.
Aside from illegal drugs, the mayor said he will also direct the city police to rid the city of robbery incidents like pick pockets and akyat bahay.
"If the police fail, I will also enforce the same one strike policy," Lazatin said.