Pubdate: Fri, 20 Aug 2004 Source: Manila Times (Philippines) Copyright: 2004, The Manila Times Contact: http://www.manilatimes.net/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/921 Author: Len Espinosa, Central Luzon Bureau Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Test) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) TARLAC 'DRUG SPOTS' NOW DOWN TO 31 BARANGAYS CAMP MAKABULOS, Tarlac City-Only 31 out of the 510 barangays in this province remain affected by the trade in illegal drugs, but Senior Supt. Angelo Sunglao, the provincial police chief, vowed on Tuesday to clear these affected areas "by the end of the year." Sunglao assured that the 31 remaining barangays are now the target of an intensified police operation to finally rid the province of the drug menace. Since January, Sunglao said the illegal drug trade has been "eliminated" in at least 18 barangays that were earlier tagged as either "affected" or "threatened." He explained that 134 of the province's 510 barangays were considered "affected" by the drug menace in July last year. Barangays are classified as "threatened" with the mere presence of "at least one drug pusher" in the area. The 134 affected barangays, however, was reduced to 49 by the end of 2003 owing to the massive anti-illegal drug campaign launched by the PNP and local government units, Sunglao said. This, Sunglao noted, has earned the province the reputation of having "the most active anti-illegal drugs campaign among the provincial police commands in Central Luzon." Furthermore, in more than 60 anti-illegal drugs operations carried out by the police during the first half of 2004, Sunglao disclosed that 84 drug pushers were arrested, which led to the clearing of the 18 barangays here. He also noted that during this campaign, 23 suspected illegal drug dealers and dependents voluntarily surrendered and submitted themselves for rehabilitation at a facility in Central Luzon. In a related development, Sunglao disclosed that a member of the provincial police command was recently dismissed from the service after a random drug test among law enforcers here found him to have used methamphetamine hydrochloride, or shabu. The police, identified as Police Officer 3 Rolando Torres, is now facing charges of illegal drug use apart from the cancellation of all benefits due him