Republic of the Philippines Office of the President PHILIPPINE DRUG ENFORCEMENT AGENCY NIA Northside Road, NationalGovernmentCenter Barangay Pinyahan, Quezon City PRESS RELEASE # 194/15 DATE : May 1, 2015 AUTHORITY : UNDERSECRETARY ARTURO G. CACDAC, JR., CESE Director General For more information, comments and suggestions please call: DERRICK ARNOLD C. CARREON, Director, Public Information Office Tel. No. 929-3244, 927-9702 Loc.131; Cell phone: 09159111585 __________________________________________________________________________________ PDEA LAUDS CENTRAL LUZON’S PEACE AND ORDER COUNCIL FOR ANTI-DRUG COMMITMENT IN BARANGAYS The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) cited the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) of Region 3 for its solid commitment to eliminate the proliferation and use of illegal drugs in the barangays. In his letter to Nueva Ecija Governor Aurelio Umali, Chairman of RPOC Region 3, Undersecretary Arturo G Cacdac, Jr., PDEA Director General thanked Umali for his support to the government’s anti-drug campaign and for the approval of the motion of Zambales Governor Hermogenes Ebdane to provide legal assistance to policemen and PDEA agents who are “harassed” by drug law violators through the filing of drug cases. The RPOC 3 convened for a Full Council Special Meeting on April 13, 2015 at the Oxford Hotel, Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga to shed light on the updated regional drug situation in Central Luzon as reported by PDEA Regional Office 3. “The meeting was well-attended by governors, mayors, League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) Presidents, representatives of various national government agencies (NGAs) who are council members, and Director Jeoffrey Tacio, Regional Director of PDEA RO3,” Cacdac said. During the meeting, Umali requested PDEA to publish a list of drug-affected barangays in Central Luzon in order to raise public awareness on the gravity of the drug problem, and a separate list, containing names of suspected drug personalities in each barangay that is accessible only to law enforcement authorities. Governor Umali also called for clear-cut anti-drug approach addressed to a specific barangay, town and province. Governor Ebdane, one of the chairpersons of RPOC 3, has recommended to the council the display of names and photographs of alleged drug personalities in barangay halls that would draw them into the open to clear their names. Ebdane said that local governments should provide incentives to barangays upon solving the drug problem in their communities. “Governor Ebdane has previously filed a motion seeking for the legal assistance and protection of policemen and PDEA operatives against harassment from arrested drug offenders, most especially from influential personalities, once a formal charge is filed. The RPOC 3 has approved the motion,” Cacdac said. “PDEA is looking forward for other RPOCs to follow suit and support our operatives and police officers against any physical and verbal intimidation thrown at them during prosecution of drug cases,” he added. Created under the DILG, the RPOCs are synchronized and strongly-coordinated bodies tasked to carry out programs to respond to the issues concerning insurgency, rebellion, criminality, terrorism, or disruption of public order, including illegal drugs, at the regional level. # # # .