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PDEA: 359 barangays remain drug affected in Negros Oriental Posted: 18 Jul 2022 12:48 AM PDT THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said on July 7 during the Provincial Peace and Order Council special meeting that 359 out of 557 barangays in Negros Oriental are affected with illegal drugs.But PDEA Agent Francisfil Tangeres said 145 barangays have been declared cleared, while 53 are free from illegal drugs in the province.Tangeres presented the Barangay Drug Clearing Program (BDCP) updates per district with drug affectation, with a total of 218 barangays in the First District of which 72.47 percent are drug affected, 27 cleared, and 33 drug-free barangays.The Second District has 174 barangays of which 64.36 percent are drug affected, 49 cleared, and 13 declared drug-free barangays.For the Third District, of 165 barangays, 53.39 percent are drug-affected, while 69 are declared cleared, and seven are drug-free.The PDEA official said the geographical location of the province is a transit point and one of the crucial drop-off points of illegal drugs coming from Cebu, Negros Occidental, Manila, and Mindanao, of which drug personalities is taking advantage.The improvised mode of concealment during transportation of contrabands has also been observed.Intensified checking and monitoring in all sea and airports with law enforcement units and the community may hamper the flow of drug supply in the province.Tangeres said the implementation of the BDCP helped in the reduction of barangay drug affectation in the province, while the establishment of Balay Silangan also proved the commitment of the stakeholders in the fight against illegal drugs.The municipalities of Basay and Pamplona have set up their Balay Silangan facility, a temporary shelter for drug surrenderers to be rehabilitated and reformed into self-sufficient and law-abiding members of the community.Sixteen drug surrenderers in Basay successfully completed their community rehabilitation program on February 18, while 25 personalities who used drugs (PWUDs) before in Pamplona town and 23 PWUDs in Bayawan City are still undergoing rehabilitation or treatment sessions. (PIA)

Negros Oriental crime incidents down Posted: 18 Jul 2022 12:45 AM PDT NEGROS Oriental's crime rate has dropped by 31.6 percent in the first semester of 2022 compared to the same period in 2021, the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Dumaguete City reported.Presenting the crime statistics during the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) meeting, Lieutenant Colonel Catherine Ramos said peace and order indicator both from index and non-index crimes in the province dropped to 1,163, or 47.3 percent in 2022 from 2,208 in 2021.Index crimes refer to offenses considered serious in nature, including murder, homicide, rape, robbery, carnapping, and physical injuries.From last year's record, the total crime incidents reached a volume of 3,332 as compared to 2022 with 2,280 offenses.Ramos said the PNP attributes the decrease in crime incidents to the intensified anti-criminality drive in partnership and collaboration with other security forces and local government units especially during the election period.For non-index crimes or offenses punishable under the Revised Penal Code and Special Laws such as enforcement on Republic Act (RA) 9165 or Anti-Illegal Drugs campaign, 154 drug personalities were arrested and 5,003.81 grams of shabu were seized with a total value of more than P34 million.Under Republic Act 9287 or the campaign against illegal gambling, the police arrested 876 persons with total bet money confiscated at P76,301.50.For the campaign against loose firearms or RA 8294, the Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office (Noppo) arrested 74 persons and seized/recovered 701 firearms.Noppo also offered their services, skills, and financial support to six poor families whose houses were dilapidated with decent homes under its "Bahay Mo, Sagot Ko" project.Ramos said the police force provided 54 solar lights to homes without electricity in line with the "Ilaw Mo, Sagot Ko" project of Noppo.She said the peace and order situation in Negros Oriental remains generally peaceful and manageable. (PIA)

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