By Edwin Fernandez/Philippine News Agency
COTABATO CITY – The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Region 12 (Soccsksargen) made public Monday that only 10 out of 57 villages in Midsayap, North Cotabato remain to be influenced by illegal drugs.
In a statement Monday, Director Naravy Duquiatan of PDEA -12 said 47 out of 57 barangays of Midsayap are now “drug-free”.
Duquiatan said the 47 villages were officially cleared from drug peddlers, users, runners, sellers and dependents during ceremonies at Midsayap town hall recently.
Mayor Romeo Arana of Midsayap welcomed the PDEA-12 declaration following an inter-agency evaluation and assessment in partnership with PDEA, police and the military.
According to PDEA-12, the 10-remaining drug-infested villages still have the existence of private armed groups engaged in illegal drugs, and the presence of heavily armed radicals from the Islamic State-linked Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.
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