Nine of Antequera’s 21 villages have been declared drug-free after documents showing the eradication of narcotics activities in the areas were approved by the town’s anti-drug council’s, said the municipality’s mayor.

According to Antequera Mayor Jose Pahang, the barangays of Ceiling, Danicop, Ubujan, Tupas, Cansibuan, Tabuan, Tagubaas, Angilan, and Quinapon-an Cogon have fulfilled requirements that officially cleared them of illegal drug presence.

The villages’ claims of being drug-free were backed by results of tight monitoring operations conducted by the towns Municipal Anti-Drug Abuse Council and Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Councils.

Some of those who surrendered under Oplan Tokhang have undergone intervention and have been extended assistance such as livelihood opportunities to prevent resurgence of drug activities, added Pahang.

For his part, Antequera police chief Sr. Insp. Cesar Acompañado said that policemen in the town continued to visit barangays in efforts to prevent the proliferation of drugs amid the weeks-long nationwide suspension of the police’s anti-drug campaign last month.

The police official partly attributed the successes of the police’s drive against drugs in the town to the support of the municipal and barangay officials.

Despite being undermanned, the Antequera Police Station is optimistic that the rest of the town will soon be declared drug-free, said Acompañado. (R. Tutas)