By Paulo Loreto Lim

After the Negros Occidental Provincial Police Office (NOPPO) declared four Murcia barangays drug-free yesterday, NOPPO Director, Police Senior Superintendent William Señoron, said the province is considered “slightly affected” by illegal drugs, noting 84 out of 601 barangays throughout Negros Occidental have been declared drug-free.
“A barangay is said to be drug-affected when there is reported presence of drug user, pusher, manufacturer, marijuana cultivator, or other drug personality, drug den, marijuana plantation, clandestine drug laboratory and facilities related to production of illegal drugs,” he explained.
Following the recent declaration by President Rodrigo Duterte for the Philippine National Police (PNP) to resume anti-illegal drug operations, Negros Occidental Vice Governor Jose Eugenio Lacson welcomed the development, saying law enforcement should focus on the source of illegal drugs by hunting down shabu laboratories and stopping drug smuggling at ports.
Police Regional Office-18 (PRO-18) Director, Police Chief Superintendent Renato Gumban, also welcomed the news, saying his units are awaiting directives from PNP headquarters.
Meanwhile, the Murcia barangays declared drug-free were Barangays Damsite, Iglau-an, Canlandog, and Cansilayan./WDJ