BACOLOD CITY — Security concerns in the campaign against illegal drugs will not discourage agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) from doing their jobs.
This was the commitment of PDEA-Western Visayas (PDEA-6) Regional Director Emerson Margate in the continuing heightened war against drugs of the Duterte administration.
“Our work continues. It should not stop us from doing what should be done,” he said on Friday. “We should not be deterred otherwise, we should just leave PDEA.”
“It is expected that threat will come our way, that harm will come our way. We take precaution, we say a prayer. I believe that if you are doing what is right, there’s nothing to fear,” Margate added.
Margate was here to witness the signing of the memorandum of agreement and groundbreaking for the construction of the PHP35-million Bacolod City Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation Center.
PDEA-Western Visayas, which covers the provinces of Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan, Antique, Guimaras and Negros Occidental, and the highly-urbanized cities of Iloilo and Bacolod, has a total of 105 personnel.
On August 2, Margate and 90 other personnel of PDEA-Central Visayas have been re-assigned to PDEA-Western Visayas in a straight swap between the entire workforce of the two regions, including its regional directors.
Also affected were 89 personnel of PDEA-Western Visayas.
Only technical personnel such as chemists and drug regulatory officers have been retained.
PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino said the reassignment was also a precautionary measure for Central Visayas operatives who face greater risk following last month’s death of Cebu City-based Investigation Agent III Earl “Baby” Rallos.
Aquino directed all PDEA operating units to exercise extreme and prudent caution in the performance of their duties and responsibilities.
Last August 8, joint operatives of PDEA in Western Visayas and Central Visayas led the operation which yielded six kilos of “shabu” (methamphetamine hydrochloride) worth PHP72 million in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental. (Nanette Guadalquiver/PNA)
