PDEA: Drug activities likely in drug-cleared areas

CEBU, Philippines — Barangays that were declared drug-cleared by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency but still had illegal drugs confiscated in the area can still retain their status, provided that the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council (BADAC) is still active.

This was made clear by the PDEA-7 information officer Leia Alcantara after the operatives from the agency, the Philippine National Police (PNP), and other agencies confiscated illegal drugs in barangays that were declared drug-cleared.

Alcantara also made clear that the basis of the revocation of the status can only be done if the members of the BADAC are not active and hesitate to cooperate with the authorities in the investigation and validation of the reports.

Since January 23 of last year, up to this day, the PDEA-7 has around 24 barangays that were declared drug-cleared, but the authorities are still conducting anti-illegal drug operations in the area.

Alcantara also clarified that declaring a barangay drug-cleared doesn’t mean that the clearing has ended; rather, assessment and annual validation in the barangays still continue.

She also added that there is a possibility that they can still confiscate illegal drugs, especially if there are new drug dens and new personalities playing in the area or if they only transact in the area.

She further explained that the individuals they arrested in their recent buy-bust operations were not residents of the barangays declared drug-cleared. Still, they only met in the area to transact.

The operations were conducted following the reports received by the PNP, PDEA-7, and other agencies from BADAC.

In one of their anti-illegal drug operations conducted on February 2, 2024, an anti-illegal drug operation was conducted in barangays Southern Poblacion and San Isidro, San Francisco town in Camotes Islands, Cebu, leading to the arrest of nine individuals and the dismantling of two drug dens in the area. Both barangays were declared drug-cleared. — /GMR (FREEMAN)