Two barangay officials suspected of drug links

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Almost a month after President Rodrigo Duterte relegated all anti-drug operations from the Philippine National Police (PNP) to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), there have been two anti-drug operations conducted in Negros Occidental to date.

PDEA-Region 6 Director Wardley Getalia said they have conducted a total 10 operations in the region, eight of which took place in Panay.

Getalia admitted they cannot sustain operations; however, he said they have started collecting and evaluating the list of both high-value and street-level targets in the province.

He noted, in Negros Occidental, two barangay officials are among the top 10 high-value and street-level drug targets, whom they are currently probing for alleged links to the illegal drug trade.

Getalia said the two barangay officials are either using and selling illegal drugs, or serving as protectors to the illegal drug trade in their respective area.

The regional director said there are currently eight PDEA agents assigned in Negros Occidental and they are still in the process of gathering information.

He also appealed for cooperation from the public, noting they must do their part or it will take longer and the job of eliminating the illegal drug trade will be more difficult.

He is also hoping that Duterte lifts relegations on the PNP soon, in order for law enforcement to provide assistance in catching those involved in illegal drugs./DGB, WDJ