MANGALDAN DRUG SITUATION NOT GETTING WORSE: FAMA

DAGUPAN -- The illegal drug situation in Mangaldan is not getting worse,
according to Chief Insp. Harris Fama, chief of police of that town.

"In fact, the top 20 drug personalities in the (original) watch list had
already been arrested and detained," he said.

Fama likewise said he has been doing his job by conducting anti-drug
information campaign in the schools and in the barangays.

He issued the statements in response to reports of the worsening drug
situation in the town as discussed during the session of the municipal
legislative body last July 19.

The police chief said if the Municipal Council has information on drug
pushers and addicts, he is asking the members to provide him with the list
so that he could make appropriate action.

It had also been reported that the municipal legislature passed a resolution
asking the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and the
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to conduct separate drug
operations because the council is allegedly not contented with the work of
the town police.

"Actually, ever since, we have been coordinating with the PDEA in Pangasinan
and at times with the CIDG. With the exchange of information, we had made
arrest of drug pushers, users as well as the wanted persons in the town," he
said.

However, he said the request made by the council would be of great help to
the town police because they have few intelligence operatives and limited
asset team.