Pagkakaroon ng anti-drugs councils sa lahat ng barangay, hinirit ng PDEA

Iminungkahi ng Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) na magkaroon ng Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Councils (BADACs) sa buong bansa kaugnay ng kampanya ng pamahalaan laban sa iligal na droga.

Ginawa ni PDEA Director General Isidro Lapeña ang mungkahi kasunod ng pag-atas ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte na ang nabanggit na ahensiya na ang mangunguna sa kampanya ng pamahalaan laban sa droga.

"It is imperative that every barangay must have an anti-drug abuse council," saad ni Lapeña  sa isang pahayag nitong Sabado. "However, the problem is that a considerable number of barangays nationwide do not have a BADAC or an anti-drug program for their constituents."

Binigyan-diin ng opisyal ang kahalagahan ng BADAC sa Memorandum Circular 2015-63 ng Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) na nagsasaad na, "The barangays, as the first line of defense, should lead the fight against illegal drugs."

Nitong Biyernes, sinabi ni Lapeña na gagamitin ng PDEA ang local government units, partikular ang barangay para makipag-ugnayan sa kampanya laban sa droga.

Giit niya, dapat magsimula sa "grassroots level" ang paghahanap sa mga drug personality.

"The BADACs were deputized and empowered to plan and implement strategic policies; and evaluate programs and projects on drug prevention and control, given the political and police powers of the barangay to administer the affairs of the community," ayon kay Lapeña.

"The creation of BADACs is important in maintaining a pro-active stand in shielding the ordinary people from the drug menace. A barangay is considered to be the smallest administrative unit in the Philippines. Though small in structure, the battle against drug abuse and trafficking at the community and street levels definitely begins here," dagdag niya.

Paglabag din umano sa batas ang kabiguan na ipatupad nang husto ang BADACs sa buong bansa. -- FRJ, GMA News