3 Iloilo towns ‘drug hotspots’
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency 6 (PDEA 6) has identified three towns in Iloilo as hotspots of illegal drugs because of the presence of drug groups.
Paul Ledesma, officer-in-charge of PDEA 6, said these are Balasan, Pototan, and Dumangas, where 17 barangays are already affected by illegal drugs.
Iloilo province has 1,721 barangays.
In yesterday’s Provincial Peace and Order Council meeting at the Capitol, Ledesma said a major hindrance to their anti-illegal drug operations is the lack of cooperation from the barangay officials.
These drug groups are using children as couriers, he said.
Ledesma said some drug groups have brought their operations to the province when authorities aggressively went after them Iloilo City.
As of third quarter of 2010, PDEA 6 has placed 267 drug personalities under their drug watchlist in the province.
Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr., chairman of the PPOC, asked the cooperation of the local government units and the active participation of the community in fighting the drug menace.
With the involvement of everybody, crime could be prevented and peace and order will reign in the province, he said.
“We won’t give up, we will work together and focus on many things and we will achieve progress in our search for peace and order,” Defensor said.*