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[av_heading heading=’Drug-linked mayor’s town leads drug rehabilitation’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY STEPHEN LOUIE CHECA
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Friday, March 31, 2017
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HAMTIC, Antique – This municipality launched the first-ever community-based drug rehabilitation program in Antique.
Its mayor, Julius Ronald Pacificador, was tagged by President Rodrigo Duterte last year as a “drug coddler” along with four other mayors from Iloilo, among other local government and police officials.
Duterte showed no concrete proof of the mayors’ involvement in the drug trade. All the tagged Region 6 mayors denied the President’s claim.
The National Auxiliary Chaplaincy Philippines (Nacphil), a nongovernment organization, is facilitating the drug rehabilitation program “Exodus to Recovery,” launched on Monday at the DECS Building in Poblacion 1.
Exodus to Recovery was seen as a response to the need to rehabilitate the thousands of drug surrenderees resulting from Oplan Double Barrel, specifically the knock-and-appeal, or tokhang, stage.
Nacphil national program director Ma. Assumpta R. Flores said the program is a “resounding response” to the Interior department’s Memorandum Circular No. 2015-063, which called for the revival and activation of the Anti-Drug Abuse Councils in every barangay, city and municipality.
Exodus to Recovery aims to provide “excellent psychological and spiritual intervention” for the surrenderees and their families, Flores said.
Gov. Rhodora J. Cadiao hopes other Antique towns will replicate the program.
Cadiao thanked the local government under Pacificador for heeding the government’s call to prevent drug abuse. She also encouraged the drug surrenderees not to waste a “great opportunity” to reform.
She promised to help the surrenderees — a total of 103, with only one female — find livelihood after completing the program.
Meanwhile Senior Superintendent Christopher Tambungan of the Police Regional Office 6 commended Pacificador and the local government for starting the program.
Tambungan believes the mayor wants to prove he is against illegal drugs./PN
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