For police in the town of Ubay, prevention is better than cure.

Since April this year, members of the Ubay police have been making rounds to reach each barangay in the town to educate residents on the hazards of drug involvement in efforts to ramp up its anti-illegal drugs campaign.

According to P03 Gregorio Aton, the town’s police chief Senior Inspector Joseph Berundo has been leading the initiative since he took over the Ubay Police Station which has long been grappling with rampant drug-related crimes.

While the nation awaits a promised bloodshed to stamp out illegal drug trade in the country, lives of drug personalities could be spared should they heed the Ubay police’s call to stay away from the harmful substance.

In its regular barangay visits, the Ubay police strongly emphasizes on the hazards of drug use and the involvement in its trade, Aton said.

Berundo also urged barangay officials to take the lead in the crackdown on illegal drugs in their respective areas, and to extend their full support and cooperation to the local cops.

The town of Ubay has a total of 44 barangays, which according to Aton, are mostly affected by drug crimes. These drug-related cases are widespread right in the heart of the town and even in its fringes and mountain areas, he added.

Other than educating Ubay residents, the authorities are also hoping to earn their loyalty and sympathy through the police barangay visits.

According to Berundo, the initiative seeks to spark vigilance in the residents, urging them to report drug-related information from their respective areas.

Meanwhile, police sources have been reporting that illegal drugs come from Ubay neighbors Carmen and Guindulman, and even the province of Cebu.

Just this week, a number of drug personalities have been apprehended in Ubay including an apparently intoxicated man wildly wielding a knife yesterday, and a woman who was caught through a buy-bust operation last Sunday.

The man was identified as Abnel Enoc, a 27-year old fisherman in Barangay Juagdan, and was caught with two packets of suspected shabu.

The woman, Mary Jane Roselis, was apprehended with seven packets of shabu and drug paraphernalia when frisked by the police.  (with reports from Allen Doydora)