Only 24 villages complied with

official drug-clearing protocols

TAGBILARAN CITY, APRIL 3 (PIA)--Bohol local authorities and the police may have attained over 60% in their "household clearing operations."

But according to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) only 224 of Bohol's 1,109 barangays have submitted documents that would eventually lead to their official drug clearing.

Recent reports delivered by the PDEA during the Provincial peace and Order Council (PPOC) showed that while Boholanos are excited about getting declared drug free after nearly 40,000 drug users surrendered to Oplan Tokhang, only 20% of its barangays have shown interest in really getting the clean bill of health.

While the police authorities and barangay officials are getting households cleared of drugs and are on to it quick, the official declaration of any drug cleared area is a job of the Inter-Agency Regional Anti Illegal Drug Technical Working Group (IA RAID-TWG).

The IA RAID-TWG has the PDEA as head and includes agencies like the Philippine National Police, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and other concerned government and non government groups helping the community based drug rehabilitation programs nationwide.

In their report to the PPOC, PDEA Bohol showed that of the 224 barangays who have submitted documents to substantiate their claims of getting their villages cleared of drugs, the narcotics agency has gotten to only at least 24 barangays who have satisfied the agreed parameters to be cleared of illegal drugs.

The parameters include a checklist a Dangerous Drugs Board Regulation # 3 Series of 2017 which provides the operational guidelines in the conduct of drug clearing operations.

The first parameter is the activation of the Barangay, Municipality, City or Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Councils and the enlistment of at least 25 member Barangay Auxiliary Team for every 2000 population, capability enhancement of all barangay stakeholders in the anti-drug clearing operations through seminars as are contained in documented reports of events with pictures.

With the cluster system in drug clearing operations, the report to the IA RAID TWG must also include the organization of house clusters and their officials and the report must include list of leaders and cluster spot maps including houses.

Barangays must also submit a list of persons in their watchlist and a separate barangay drug affectation as supported by a BADAC resolution, the enactment of a city, municipality or barangay ordinance creating the Administrative Board and the establishment of a local rehabilitation referral desk.

Also in the checklist are the profiles of surrenderers and the arrested, documents and pictures showing the conduct of advocacy and drug prevention education focusing on the roles of parents and the community and the local rehabilitation without walls program.

Also in the documents folder are the processing of application for voluntary or compulsory rehabilitation, the assessment of surrenderers based on the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test Brief Intervention data, conduct of regular anti-drugs and its effects lectures with photo support, and pecific police certifications.

These certifications include non-availability of drug supply, absence of drug trans-shipment activity, absence of clandestine drug laboratory or warehouse, chemical laboratory or warehouse, absence of marijuana cultivation,      

absence of drug den, joint or resort, absence of a drug pusher, absence of a drug user or dependent, absence of protector, coddler or financier, active involvement of barangay officials, youth (SK) in anti-illegal drug activities and maintaining its drug free status, sustained anti-drug IEC program and the existence of voluntary or compulsory drug treatment and rehabilitation.

This would also include a certification by the mayor and the chief of police of the barangay as drug cleared.

Before this declaration however, the barangay council must declare the barangay as drug cleared based on the recommendation of the BADAC, a barangay council resolution on the activation of the BADAC and detailing its roles and functions, the barangay council approval of the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Action Plan, Reports on Barangay Drug Clearing Operations, report on advocacy and prevention education seminars and an executive order by the BADAC Chairman  appointing a barangay anti drug abuse focal person.       

In Bohol, PDEA as of this time, reports only 2 barangays of Bilar and 22 Barangays of Maribojoc have satisfactorily complied with the parameters based on the checklist. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

Alicia police authorities personally place the drug-free stickers on the door of a household whose members are cleared of illegal drug use. A completion of a community based rehab term can also cause the same sticker to be placed to a household for being drug-cleared. (PIA-7/Bohol/Foto ALICIA PS)