By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Negros Occidental is closely monitoring several drug personalities who may possibly influence the upcoming 2022 elections by pouring money to local politicians.

PDEA-Negros Occidental officer Nicholas Gomez admitted that they have been monitoring several drug personalities in the past who have given financial support to local candidates.

Gomez said they conduct link analysis on personalities or groups during the elections, and he even noted that some individuals are giving them names of suspected narco-politicians but they need solid evidence.

Several former drug personalities in Negros Occidental have already surfaced in the past and released their affidavits linking individuals and police officers to the illegal drug trade in the province.

Meanwhile, PDEA is also working hard in order to clean up the province from illegal drugs, especially as Negros Occidental has the lowest number of drug-cleared barangays in Western Visayas.

The province has 269 drug-cleared barangays while Bacolod City has 13./DGB, WDJ