8 VILLAGES CLEARED OF DRUGS

ANTI-illegal drug agents of the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) cleared
eight drug-affected barangays in the city in the wake of President Arroyo's
three-month ultimatum for the police to launch an "all-out-war" against the
illegal drug menace.

The villages are Barangays 17, 20, 21, 35, 36, 38, 41 and Granada,
disclosed Supt. Edgar Esparagoza, deputy city police director.

On the other hand, Esparagoza said Barangays 2 and 8 are now categorized
only as "threatened by illegal drugs" from its tag of being a "seriously
affected" area.

The President's ultimatum was given last July 15 and ended last Sept. 15.

Esparagoza said the clearing on the other barangays will be done on December.

He added that "threatened" Narangays 16, 22, 27 and 29 could not be
declared drug-free since most of the supply of suspected shabu emanate from
these areas.

The local drug agents, he revealed, find it hard to pin down drug couriers
and users in these areas.

Moreover, residents of another drug "hotspot" - Barangay 2 - reportedly
make the illegal drug trade as their main source of income.

Of the 24 drug-affected barangays in Bacolod, four are "seriously affected"
while 20 are only "threatened."

Six villages are cleared, the police said.

Esparagoza also backs the closure of entry and exit points in Barangay 2 in
their effort to rid the barangay of the illegal drug problem.

Helping in the planned "seal-off" are Police Station 2 commander Senior
Insp. Clarence Dongail, and operatives of City Mobile Group, among others.