THE Police Regional Office in Davao Region (PRO 11) bared that three barangays in New Bataan, Compostela Valley have been uncooperative with the anti-illegal drugs campaign of the government.
Chief Inspector Milgrace Driz, PRO 11 spokesperson, said Wednesday, April 11, that these three barangays are Barangay Camanlangan, Barangay Tandawan, and Barangay Batinao.
The barangays were reported to their office by the provincial director of Compostela Valley Provincial Police as not having an operational Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council (Badac).
Driz said that barangay officials are mandated by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to create programs through the Community Based Rehabilitation and After Care Program (CBRAP), however, these barangays have not formed any to advance the government programs in reintegrating their drug surrenderers.
The role of the Badac is to plan, strategize, implement and evaluate programs and projects on drug abuse prevention in barangays and to organize and orient auxiliary teams on their roles and functions and in formulating plan of action.
The council is also expected to coordinate and collaborate with other institutions such as the police and the municipal or city government in implementing program/project on drug abuse prevention in the barangay level, according to DILG.
Meanwhile, Driz urged the public to not support identified narco-politicians in their barangays to put an end to their activities.
“We encourage also the public na hindi iboto ang barangay officials na na-involved sa illegal drugs. We perceived that the root cause of (proliferation of illegal drugs) through the barangay level is because some identified ng mga personnel are from barangay level,” she said.
Meanwhile, Driz said the Commission on Election (Comelec) 11 called on candidates to undergo drug testing although this is not mandatory.
“Matod pa niya iyang himoan ug report sa higher office kung kinsa tong wala nagpahigayon ug drug testing (According to the Comelec 11 Directr, he will just report to higher office those who did not undergo a drug test),” Driz said.