PR
Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso on Thursday, August 1, gave police and anti-drug forces one week to clear the Baseco Compound of illegal drugs.
In addition, Domagoso said that all drug suspects should be jailed and all loose firearms be confiscated by authorities.
The Mayor gave the directive to the Manila Police District (MPD) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) during a meeting with the Manila Anti-Drug Abuse Council.
“I’m giving you, all those enforcement agencies, pag ‘di niyo naclear ng drugs ang baseco, then there’s no business for you to come here in the next council meeting,” Domagoso told members of the council.
“May masamang impresyon sa Baseco, bakit hanggang ngayon hindi pa rin cleared. I’ve been hearing a lot of individuals carrying firearms, I want to know if these firearms are licensesd, legitimately acquired,” he said.
This, after data from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency – National Capital Region (NCR) showed that 807 out of 896 barangays in the nation’s capital are still affected by illegal drug operations.
Data from the MPD, meanwhile, showed that there are still about more than 2,000 drug pushers on the loose in the streets of Manila.
“Tignan natin kung may pamamahala sa Lungsod ng Maynila. Tignan natin kung seryoso ang gobyerno, kung seryoso ang DILG, kung seryoso ang PNP, kung seryoso ang PDEA,” Domagoso said.
“Kawawa naman mga mahihirap nating kababayan. Mahirap na nga, mahirap pa ang katatayuan sa kanilang mga komunidad. Mas kailangan nila ang pamahalaan ngayon,” he said.
Manila’s intensified anti-drug campaign, Domagoso said, would not stop even after the MPD and PDEA successfully clears the Baseco area of illegal drugs.
“After one week of conducting operation, it doesn’t mean on the 8th day, 9th day, we will stop. It will be a continuing operation until ang lugar na ‘yan ay mawalan ng ipinagbabawal na gamot,” Domagoso said.
“If we can do it in Baseco, we can do it anywhere in the City of Manila, to clear barangays of illegal drugs,” he said.
For his part, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary for Barangay Affairs Martin Dino said that barangay officials who fail to participate in the city’s anti-drug campaign will face sanctions.
“Kapag bumalik ang mga na-clear ng city mayor, ng kapulisan, pasensyahan tayo. ‘Yan ang tinatawag na sanctions,” Dino said during a press conference.
“Ipasisibak ko kayo sa pwesto. Sisibakin kayo. Buti na lang may bago na tayong mayor,” he added.
