Villages affected by drugs in Baguio City up

June 2, 2018

BAGUIO CITY  – Drug-affected villages in  the Philippines' summer capital have increased from six to 24 barangays, disappointing its city mayor.

Baguio City police said the Regional Oversight Committee chaired by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) recently elevated 18 barangays in the city into “drug-affected”.

"It is unfortunate that there are drug surrenderers who simply voluntarily give themselves up to the combined police and anti-narcotics authorities for compliance sake but they go back to the pursuit of their illegal activities which is one of the reasons the city has not yet been cleared from the proliferation of prohibited drugs," said Mayor Mauricio Domogan.

“We are wondering why there are still individuals who continue to ply the illegal drug trade when there has been a strong warning from the national and local governments for them to stop the said illegal activity,” he said.

A recent shootout between illegal drug traders and law enforcers along Lower Rock Quarry Thursday, Domogan said showed people are still in the illegal drug trade.

“Thus, the need for barangay officials to be able to closely work together so that they will be able to rid their areas of jurisdiction from the presence of drug personalities and help the law enforcement agencies and the local government achieve a drug free city,” he said.

Domogan said Baguio City police were tasked to check with the Regional Oversight Committee the re-inclusion of the 18 barangays in the city as drug affected barangays so they can plan on how to neutralize the presence of drug personalities. DMS