BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Thirteen more barangays in Negros Occidental have been declared as drug-cleared, following the 25th Regional Oversight Committee deliberation on March 22.
The Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office reported thedrug-cleared barangays as Dulao, Napoles, Balingasag and Tabunan in Bago City, Mabini in Cadiz City, Gatuslao and Caningay in Candoni, Poblacion 2 and Calubang in Ilog, San Agustin in Isabela, Quiwi in Hinigaran, Brgy. 5 in Sipalay City and Brgy. Zone 2 in Talisay City.
Nicholas Gomez, provincial head of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, said that members of the ROC deliberated on the applications of 21 Negros Occidental barangays, including one in Bacolod City, to be declared as drug-cleared villages.
But only 14 got the approval of the ROC, among them Brgy. 12, in Bacolod City, Gomez told Bombo Radyo.
Of the 601 barangays in Negros Occidental, 246 have been declared as drug-cleared, and 13 of 61 in Bacolod City also reported as drug-cleared.*