By Richel Umel/PNA
LINAMON, Lanao del Norte — The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency 10 (Northern Mindanao) and local officials on Friday launched a reformatory facility called “Balay Silangan” that will initially house 16 drug surrenderers beginning next month.
PDEA-10 Director Wilkins Villanueva said the reformatory facility will cater to local drug dependents and those from nearby municipalities.
“Balay Silangan is for the reformation of the pushers (and users) who are not high-value targets,” Villanueva said, adding that surrenderers may opt to stay at Balay Silangan for three months.
According to PDEA-10, 357 barangays in the region have been declared drug-cleared, with 50 more villages to be declared free from drug affectation before the yearend.
“In Lanao del Norte, we have more than 100 barangays drug-cleared, while Iligan City has five barangays,” the PDEA-10 official added.
Villanueva underscored the importance of community-based rehabilitation for former drug offenders, in the government’s campaign against illegal drugs.
Linamon Mayor Randy Macapil agreed, saying the efforts of local officials, the academe, and even the military are valuable to the town’s anti-drug campaign.
“This is a great challenge on how to sustain the status as a drug-cleared municipality,” Macapil said, calling on barangay officials to continue monitoring their areas for the possible presence of drug pushers.
