• GILBERT P. BAYORAN

The municipality of EB Magalona in Negros Occidental, is approaching its target of being a “drug free town,” with 19 of its 23 barangays having been declared as “drug cleared” by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
This was after PDEA yesterday declared Brgy. 2 poblacion, San Jose and Manta-angan in EB Magalona, drug cleared during an online deliberation yesterday by the Regional Oversight Committee, composed of PDEA, PNP, Departments of Interior and Local Government, and Health.
Since the start of the EB Magalona PNP anti-drug-clearing program, Major Kenneth Jay Gratones, town police chief, said that they were able to clear 19 of 23 EB Magalona barangays of illegal drug operations.
Vice Mayor Eric Matulac represented Mayor Marvin Malacon during the online deliberations, also participated by Councilor Wyndel Depasucat, chair of the Committee on Peace and Order, Gratones, and other local government officials, including Brgy Captains Niel Diel, Elmer Samanion, and Wilfredo Guilaran.
In a statement, Mayor Malacon commended the E. B. Magalona police, PDEA, municipal and barangay officials, MADAC, BADAC, all the agencies and sectors, and the community of E. B. Magalona for working together in war against illegal drugs, and making the town a safer place to live, work, and do business in.
Gratones said “these achievements are the results of the cooperation among all the sectors of E. B. Magalona and the community in general.”
He also vowed to continue their close collaboration with the counterpart agencies, to clear the remaining four barangays from illegal drugs.
“The PNP of E.B. Magalona, with the support of the local government, will not stop pushing until all our barangays are cleared,” Gratones added.*