BY RHENJIE MARIE CALANTAS
ILOILO City – Police Colonel Joeresty Coronica, Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) officer-in-charge, on Wednesday, Feb. 15, summoned 25 cops and non-uniformed personnel (NUP) who were residents of Barangay Bakhaw, Mandurriao district.
Of the 25, two were police officers, 15 were police non-commissioned officers and eight were NUP.
“Ang purpose sang aton sini nga meeting sa ila is para makuha ang ila nga suporta kag cooperation with regards sa aton kampanya kontra sa ilegal nga droga. Kag ini man bilang mando sang aton regional director nga ako na ang manguna sa pagpatawag sang meeting sa ila,” Coronica said.
He said the aforementioned personnel committed to support the city police in the campaign against illegal drugs in Barangay Bakhaw.
“Gin-discuss namon ang mga strategy kung paano naton mapatawhay ang Barangay Bakhaw kag nakakuha man kita sang ila commitment nga mabulig sila by way of giving information against drug personalities nga nagalibot-libot sa area nila,” Coronica added.
The ICPO chief further noted the 25 personnel were not involved in illegal drugs.
“Ini sila clear nga wala involvement sa kung ano man nga business parte sa ilegal nga droga,” Coronica stressed.
Years back, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Region 6 described Barangay Bakhaw as the go-to place of drug pushers and users.
Barangay Captain Joel Alvarado said the illegal drugs problem in their barangay has become alarming again following the arrest of 32 individuals and seizure of P918,000 worth of suspected shabu during a January drug raid.
For his part, Mayor Jerry P. Treñas also expressed concern that Barangay Bakhaw is again becoming a hotbed of drug trafficking./PN
