LANAO DEL SUR, Philippines — An inter-agency oversight committee has declared Calanogas town in Lanao del Sur as "drug cleared," the first of 39 towns in the province.
Juvenal Azurin, regional director of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, said Tuesday the declaration was based on the panel's findings that all 17 barangays in Calanogas have been cleared of drug traffickers and dependents.
According to Dangerous Drugs Board guidelines, a barangay is considered "drug cleared" if there no drug supply in the village, there is no transhipment activity, and no clandestine drug laboratories or warehouses in the area.
More than a dozen other barangays in Lanao del Sur’s Kapatagan, Balabagan, Taraka, Piagapo and Buadiposo-Buntong towns have also classified as either cleared or “unaffected” by narcotics issues.
The committee comprises the provincial government of Lanao del Sur, the provincial police, and the provincial offices of the Bangsamoro health and local government ministries.
Azurin, Police Lt.Col. Richard Habawel of the Lanao del Sur police, provincial information officer Salma Jayne Tamano, McMillan Lucman and physician Ehsan Paudac of the regional local government and health ministries signed the declaration.
Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal Adiong said Tuesday he is optimistic the committee will declare more towns in the province either "drug cleared" or "drug free" soon
He said he was impressed with how Calanogas town and barangay officials cooperated in securing the municipality from drug traffickers and dependents.
The mayor of Calanogas, Macapado Benito, Sr., is presiding chairman of the municipal peace and order council.