OF THE 601 barangay captains in Negros Occidental, one to two percent of them are into the illegal drug trade.
This was disclosed on Tuesday by Board Member Anabelle Bermudo, president of Liga ng mga Barangay in Negros Occidental, who said that the figure was not verified yet, and that was based on the talks by some of her colleagues.
Bermudo, who led the Liga’s Christmas Party and assembly at the Negros Occidental Multi-Purpose Activity Center in Bacolod City Tuesday, said she keeps on reminding her fellow barangay officials not to get involved in illegal drugs.
“I told them to join and support the anti-drug campaign of our President,” she said.
She added there will be peace and order, if there are no drugs in the barangays.
She said that barangay officials right now are accompanying the police during “Oplan Tokhang,” wherein policemen visit the house of drug suspects and ask them to surrender.
Bermudo said that in 2017, they will pass a resolution on how to deal with their members who will be caught engaging in illegal drugs and that they should not be qualified to lead their barangays once they are arrested.
She added that there are existing laws that impose penalties on officials who are caught engaged in the illegal drug trade.
Bermudo said that barangay captains “should set an example to their constituents by not involving themselves in illegal drugs.”
She also called on her fellow officials to set aside political differences and focus on serving the people.
Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr., who also attended the event, said he wishes that all barangays in the province will be drug-free.
“We should focus on what is good and for the development of our constituents,” the governor said.