Gov. Edgar Chatto has “no reason to believe” there are Bohol mayors involved in illegal drug activities as he even cited their support to the anti-drug abuse campaign and rehabilitation program.
“There is even no cause to suspect” just one local chief executive being into illegal drug, quickly added the governor who chairs both the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) and Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council (PADAC).
Chatto said the mayors of Bohol’s 47 towns and one city readily come whenever he calls a meeting on the relentless drive against illegal drug and serious community-based rehabilitation program.
“When we implement programs, our mayors are supportive. Personally, I have no reason to believe anyone of them is involved in illegal drug,” he said.
The League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) – Bohol Chapter is very active and strong under its president, Clarin Mayor Allen Ray Piezas.
AGENCIES OF INFORMATION
There are proper agencies like the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and Philippine National Police (PNP) which have stages in processing information before enforcing laws.
Chatto said the media can check with these agencies, although it is the decision of the PDEA or PNP to share their information or keep it confidential so as not to preempt or prejudice their operation.
The PDEA is the lead anti-drug law enforcement agency responsible for preventing, investigating and combating dangerous drugs.
It is harder to say based on the PDEA and PNP lists of drug personalities in Bohol because “we don’t see their lists in the first place,” Chatto said.
THE NARCO-POLITICIANS
The mayor of Ozamiz City who was killed in the police raid was one of the alleged narco-politicians named by the president—and the third mayor in the country killed in Duterte’s war on drug.
Duterte’s list also reportedly contains barangay officials in the country engaged in illegal drug activities.
The fear of these barangay officials to get reelection and stay longer in public office was cited as one factor for postponing last year’s barangay election and moving it to October this year.
Whether the barangay election will finally push through or be postponed again, good deeds make barangay officials sustain the people’s trust in them, Chatto said.
He said misdeeds and neglect, especially in the campaign against illegal drug, make public officials, including those in the barangays, heavily accountable to the people.
PNP REGIONAL DIRECTOR VISITS
On his first official Bohol visit on Thursday, PNP regional director Chief Supt. Jose Mario Espino directed his men to go to the puroks and be more visible.
The new Central Visayas police chief paid courtesy call on the governor after the former’s first Bohol command conference at Camp Dagohoy.
He directed the Bohol cops to observe his command’s “ABCD,” which means “Always Busy Arresting Criminals and Drug pushers and users.”
On the same day, the National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) conducted an orientation on “Community and Service-Oriented Policing (CSOP) System” to Bohol local chief executives and chiefs of police.
Chatto welcomed the orientation organizers and participants.
Led by its vice chairman and executive officer, lawyer Rogelio Casurao, the NAPOLCOM would want to strengthen consciousness among police officers of their key role.
This key role will enable the communities to achieve socio-economic development through law enforcement and other peacekeeping interventions by the police.
While drug abuse is a health concern, Chatto said selling drug by pushers from poor families is also considered an economic issue.
This explains why Bohol’s multi-agency-sector community-based rehabilitation program “without walls” has interventions that include support from livelihood providing or facilitating agencies.
But for one more time, Chatto reminded that in the anti-drug abuse fight, the family remains the immediate government of its member and the parents stay as the first authority over their children. (Ven rebo Arigo)