The Department of Interior and Local Government has called on village officials to establish their Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council or Badac soon or face charges in court.
Ricojudge Janvier Echiverri, DILG Assistant Secretary for External and Legislative Affairs, announced this Saturday during the “Rehabinasyon” Road Tour at the Gaisano Mactan Island Mall in Lapu-Lapu City.
Echiverri said the barangays must already have their Badac as the department is only waiting for the go signal of Interior Secretary Eduardo Año to file the cases against the village officials who have not yet formed their anti-drug councils.
Around 2,000 barangays in the country have no anti-drug council yet, Echiverri said.
He also urged Cebuanos to vote for candidates who have the courage to combat illegal drugs in the upcoming May 14 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.
“Vote for candidates who are courageous and compassionate,” Echiverri said.
Vince Plaza, Acting Deputy Director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, also called on barangay officials to help the government in the fight against illegal drugs.
“If the people won’t help, we could not solve our problem with drugs,” Plaza said. “We have barely enough policemen and PDEA personnel. So, please help us.”
The “Rehabinasyon” Road Tour in Cebu was spearheaded by Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs and the Presidential Communications Operations Office.
PCOO Assistant Secretary Ramon Cualoping III said “Rehabinasyon” aims to harmonize all anti-illegal drugs efforts of the national government and enable barangay officials, local government units, and local law enforcement agencies to have the mechanisms to solve the problem on illegal drugs.
Other resource speakers in the event included Dangerous Drugs Board Undersecretary Marlowe Pedregosa, and Assistant Secretary Aurora Ignacio of the Office of the President.
Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza welcomed the participants of the “Rehabinasyon” Cebu leg, which was attended by local officials of national government agencies, local government officials, members of the local Philippine National Police, and barangay officials from the cities of Cebu, Lapu-Lapu, and Mandaue and municipalities of Consolacion and Cordova.