ILOILO – This province’s Liga ng mga Barangay federation president is in favour of the proposal to drug test candidates in the Oct. 30 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections.
“Bilang isa ka public servant, dapat kita mangin modelo sang aton nga kabarangayan. Sa bahin ko, wala man kita kahadlokan nga mag-undergo drug test kay wala kita involvement sa sina nga aktibidad,” said Dorothy Paes, also the barangay captain of Barangay Balabag, Dumangas town.
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr. is campaigning for the drug testing.
Paes believes drug testing – and barangay officials tested negative for illegal drugs – would further make people more trustful of their village leaders.
Drug testing is further important, she added, because barangay officials are the frontline campaigners against illegal drugs in villages.
Barangay officials have to be community role models and worthy of people’s trust, Paes stressed.
“May iban kita nga upod nga ara sa watchlist sang Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency pero majority sang aton barangay officials wala sa listahan,” revealed Paes.
Data from the Police Regional Office (PRO-6) showed four chief villages and 11 barangay councilmen were involved in illegal drugs.
The four chief villages were from Cabatuan town (two), New Lucena (one) and Ajuy (one).
On the other hand, the 11 barangay councilmen were from the towns of Batad (two), Barotac Viejo (one), Banate (one), Cabatuan (one), Oton (two, of which one has been arrested), Sara (one), Miag-ao (one), Calinog (one), and Tigbauan (one).
Region-wide, the PRO-6 listed 76 barangay officials involved in illegal drugs, according to Police Brigadier General Sidney Villaflor, director.
These 76 were either arrested in antidrug operations of the police or surrendered voluntarily, he clarified.
“Patuloy ang ating pag-monitor sa kanila, counter0intelligence monitoring,” Villaflor said./PN
