No city hall permits for stubborn Iloilo City barangays

ILOILO City – The city government and police won’t issue permits for whatever activities of barangays that are uncooperative in the campaign to clear their areas of illegal drugs.

These permits include those for barangay fiesta activities such as parades, programs, perya, sound systems, and binayle (benefit dance), among others, said Councilor Reyland Hervias, president of the city’s Liga ng mga Barangay.

Only “traditional religious activities” in these barangays would be issued permits such as processions, he stressed.

The city has 180 barangays.

Barangay councils were given until the end of next month to show they were complying with the requirements needed for their areas to be declared drug-free.

“By the end of August, we would know which barangays are cooperating and which are not even trying,” said Hervias.

Officials of uncooperative barangays would also face administrative charges, he warned.

Hervias, however, denied the barangay officials were being unduly pressured by Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog whom President Rodrigo Duterte accused of being an illegal drugs protector.

“In fact, the mayor wants to help. He has been visiting the barangays,” said Hervias.

A Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) memorandum stressed the importance of barangay anti-drug abuse councils (BADACs) led by the barangay captain in the campaign against illegal drugs.

Also under the DILG memorandum, failure of local officials to appropriate a portion of their budgets to assist or enhance the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 is a ground for disapproval of a barangay’s annual budget. Administrative charges for dereliction of duty will be filed against derelict barangay officials.
Mabilog had been urging Ilonggos to help change the negative impression on Iloilo City. The President branded Iloilo “most shabu-lized” and a “bedrock” of illegal drugs.

The mayor appealed to the press, too, to spread the “real picture” about Iloilo to the “outside world.” He said the national government may not be getting the correct information about the illegal drugs situation in Iloilo.

In declaring an area drug-free, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and Philippine National Police consider the following factors:
* non-availability of illegal drugs
* absence of illegal drug transshipment activity
* absence of clandestine illegal drug laboratory
* absence of clandestine illegal drug warehouse
* absence of clandestine illegal chemical warehouse
* absence of marijuana cultivation site
* absence of drug den
* absence of drug pushers
* absence of drug users/dependents
* absence of protectors/coddlers and financiers.
Barangay councils / BADACs must prepare the necessary documentation regarding these.

Early this month, Hervias, barangays were having a hard time convincing identified drug personalities to undergo rehabilitation.

Drug rehabilitation is a must, stressed Superintendent Remus Zacharias Canieso, city police director.

The Iloilo City Police Office is part of the oversight committee checking the compliance of the barangays.

“Kung may drug users dapat mag-conduct sila (barangay councils) sang drug rehab program. Kasi indi pwede nga may drug users sa barangay tapos walang intervention na ginawa,” said Canieso. (Reposted from Panay News)

PHOTO CREDIT: Iloilo City Hall: iloilocity.gov.ph