ILOILO City – With a new set of officials, Barangay Bakhaw in Mandurriao district has an opportunity burnish its tarnished image. For years the village has been tagged a haven of illegal drugs.
Bakhaw has a new barangay captain, Joel Alvarado. He was actually elected No. 1 kagawad in the recent May 14 barangay election. The death of Barangay Captain Remia Prevendido Gregori on June 24 resulted to his becoming the village chief.
Barangay Bakhaw now has a chance to rid itself of illegal drugs, said Alvarado who is no stranger to his village’s council. He served as kagawad for two consecutive terms under Gregori, sister of drug lord Richard “Buang” Prevendido who was killed in a police operation last year.
Alvarado conceded that illegal drugs proliferated in Barangay Bakhaw. But he expressed confidence that this time the council, now composed of new officials, could better address the problem.
All the barangay councilmen are new termers. They are Sammy Palomo, Helen Alegrado, Diony Abadonio, Lamberto Balasa, Danilo delos Santos, Eden Lopez and Mayor Jose Espinosa III’s apppointee (to fill in the vacancy left by Alvarado ascension to the post of barangay captain) Renedith Villasoto.
Except for Alvarado, all the members of the previous council that worked under Gregori either already completed their three consecutive terms or got defeated in the recent May 14 barangay election.
“Clearing the barangay of illegal drugs is our main focus. We want to clean the image of Bakhaw. Our residents suffer because of the negative public impression on our village,” said Alvarado.
Barangay Bakhaw officials would be “100 percent cooperative” with the Iloilo City Police Office and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in antidrug operations, said Alvarado.
Last more before the new barangay officials assumed office, the City Drug Enforcement Unit of the city police called out Bakhaw’s previous set of officers for their non-cooperation in a buy-bust operation.
Alvarado believed the antidrug campaign in Barangay Bakhaw would be successful with the cooperation of residents and so one of the first programs of the village council is to hold a series of symposiums discussing the ill-effects of illegal drugs.
The previous barangay council under Gregori used to conduct drug symposiums but these were not sustained, said Alvarado.
Gregori was shot to death by unidentified armed men at her beach resort in Barangay Igcadlum, San Joaquin, Iloilo on June 24, 2018. In 2016 she was investigated by the Sangguniang Panlungsod for alleged links to illegal drugs.
“Kami nga new set of barangay officials naga-apela kag nagapangayo bulig kon paano naton malimpyuhan ang imahe sang aton barangay. Buloligan naton ini,” said Alvarado.
Today, July 27, Alvarado will convene Bakhaw’s Barangay Anti-Illegal Drug Abuse Council. Antidrug programs and projects would be discussed together with the chief of police of Mandurriao district./PN
