Iloilo city: The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (Provincial Board) has called on concerned government agencies to help strengthen the fight against illegal drugs at the barangay (village) level. The legislative body, during its regular session on Tuesday afternoon, passed six resolutions asking for support from national agencies after several sting operations led to the arrest of barangay officials, including two barangay captains in the province this month.
According to Philippines News Agency, the incidents have raised concerns about public trust and the integrity of public office. Amalia Victoria Debuque, president of the Liga Ng Barangay Iloilo Province, emphasized in her privilege speech that these situations challenge the strength of the current system in place to combat illegal drug activities. Debuque highlighted that while a vast majority of barangay leaders work under challenging conditions with limited resources, it is essential to support them through robust systems that enhance their efforts.
The provincial board approved several resolutions, including urging the Department of the Interior and Local Government to enhance capacity-building programs for barangay officials, focusing on functions and ethical leadership for the barangay anti-drug abuse councils (BADAC). Another resolution seeks clarification on validation and documentation protocols from the Regional Oversight Committee on Barangay Drug Clearing to ensure transparency in the grant and retention of drug-cleared status to barangays in Iloilo province.
In a related resolution, the Provincial ADAC is asked to implement a province-wide BADAC mentorship and coaching system to municipal and city clusters, ensuring a trained focal person is designated for this purpose. Board Member June Mondejar expressed disappointment over the involvement of barangay leaders in illegal drug activities, emphasizing the challenge this poses in the fight against drugs. Mondejar called for the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to review their strategies for maintaining drug-free and drug-cleared statuses in barangays. He highlighted a PDEA report indicating that only one of the 1,721 barangays in the province has been declared drug-free.
The board also approved Mondejar's resolutions, including commending the PNP for recent apprehensions and urging city/municipal ADAC chairpersons to take preventive actions against similar incidents. Mondejar proposed an ordinance to organize the Barangay Kontra Droga, outlining its duties and functions and securing necessary funding for its operations.
