More barangays in Davao del Norte have been cleared of illegal drugs as the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has exerted efforts to get rid of drug influence factors, despite the persisting pandemic.
Guesting in PIA Davao Del Norte’s regular radio program today, PDEA – Davao Del Norte Provincial Director, Investigation Agent III Julius A. Magdadaro, and Intelligence Officer II Dennis Paguinto revealed that 49 new barangays in Davao Del Norte were declared as drug-cleared.
They gave due credit to the full support of local government units in attaining this accomplishment.
In the entire province, out of 223 barangays, 220 were declared before as drug-affected and three were unaffected, said Paguinto. Two of these are from the Island Garden City of Samal (IGACOS) and one from Panabo City.
As of March 2022, there are 145 barangays who are cleared from drugs with the new 49 barangays added in this quarter to the previously 96 cleared barangays in 2021.
As a recap of last year’s accomplishment, PDEA conducted 27 anti-illegal drugs operations including buy-bust operations of high-value personalities.
Of these 27 operations, 89 personalities were arrested where 80 of them were categorized as high-value targets. PDEA also filed 95 criminal cases against the arrested drug personalities.
Recently, two drug dens were dismantled in the province located at Tagum City and Panabo City, he added. From these drug dens, 8 were arrested and cases have been filed against them.
Paguinto said that the local government units especially the barangay secretaries contributed massively to the success of the barangay drug clearing program in the province as even on weekends, the LGUs are conducting orientations and community outreach programs for the Persons Who Used Drugs (PWUDs). (PIA XI Davao del Norte/jmda/Ezri M. Coda, Jr.)
