By Perla Lena/PNA
ILOILO CITY — Iloilo City has four of its 180 villages (barangays) already cleared of illegal drugs as certified by the Regional Oversight Committee.
In an interview on Thursday, lawyer Ferdinand Panes, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Iloilo City director, announced that Barangay Quezon in Arevalo district was the latest village to be declared drug-cleared. It was announced during the City Peace and Order Council (CPOC) meeting held just last month.
“Three applied, only one passed,” he announced. The two other barangays are Housing Block 17 and Pali in Mandurriao district.
The Regional Oversight Committee earlier declared barangays Libertad and Luna in Jaro district and Sampaguita in City Proper district as drug-cleared.
Panes said the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) is probably reviewing their guidelines on drug-clearing after the latter announced that the city’s 180 barangays will have to undergo clearing again.
The DILG city director emphasized that PDEA did not follow Resolution No. 3 of the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) that if there are adverse findings, they have to issue a certification revoking the previous certification.
“I supposed last year’s validation was considered because there was no revocation. As of now we have four (drug-cleared),” he said.
Panes added that they will still try to encourage 10 other unaffected barangays to re-apply for validation with the Regional Oversight Committee.
With the latest result, Panes said the city government will have a point for the Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) for 2019.
Meantime, the Iloilo City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (ICADAC) was among the 17 highly-urbanized cities that received the National ADAC Performance Award on December 28 at the Manila Hotel in Manila.
The award recognizes the exemplary efforts of local government units through their respective ADACs, in complementing the effort of the national government in the fight against illegal drugs.
