92% of MM barangays drug-affected, says PNP

MANILA, Philippines – About 92 percent of barangays in Metro Manila were affected by illegal drugs in 2014, an official of the Philippine National Police (PNP) said yesterday.

Of the 1,706 barangays in the metropolis, only 130 may be considered drug-free.

PNP spokesman Senior Superintendent Bartolome Tobias, however, said the public should not be alarmed as the apparent high rate of drug cases in Metro Manila was based on previous guidelines of the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB).

“There is a need to review the DDB guidelines. The statistics of 92 percent is alarming but if you look deeper, the problem is not that bad,” Tobias said.

“Under the parameters of DDB, a barangay is considered drug-affected when authorities monitor the existence of at least one drug user, who could have bought the drug from another barangay,” he explained.

Tobias said the DDB, in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the PNP’s Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force, is reviewing the guidelines.

“The PNP, PDEA and the NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) as well as local government units are working hand in hand to solve the drug menace,” he said.

Citing records from the PDEA, Tobias said Metro Manila has the highest rate of being drug-affected with 92.10 percent, followed by Region 4-A (Southern Tagalog) at 33.78 percent.

He did not say which of the 17 cities and towns in Metro Manila has the highest number of drug-related cases.

The PDEA said only 20.51 percent or 8,629 of the country’s 42,065 barangays have drug-related cases.

PDEA director general Arturo Cacdac Jr. said a barangay may be considered drug-affected when there is a drug user, pusher, manufacturer or marijuana cultivator in the area. –Cecille Suerte Felipe, The Philippine Star