Twenty barangays in Baguio City have lost their drug-free status after authorities confirmed the presence of suspected drug traffickers, Mayor Benjamin Magalong said yesterday.
Magalong, who heads the city’s peace and order council as well as the city anti-drug abuse council, said the regional oversight committee on the barangay drug clearing program revoked the status of the villages following validation by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
Of the 58 barangays that applied to have their drug-free status retained, only 20 qualified. Twenty others obtained the drug-free status for the first time.
The applications of 18 barangays were deferred for further evaluation.
Among those that lost their drug-free status were the villages of Asin Road, Baguio Gold Compound, City Camp Proper, Country Club Village, Dominican Hill-Mirador, Irisan, Loakan Proper, Pacdal and Sto. Niño Village as well as 11 others where authorities detected the presence of active drug suspects.
The PDEA confirmed the sale of marijuana-laced vape products in some of these villages after two confiscated vape devices tested positive for tetrahydrocannabinol, the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis.
Police and the PDEA are tracking the vape supplier who reportedly uses online platforms and courier services to sell the illegal item.
Anti-drug operations and school awareness campaigns have been stepped up to stop the proliferation of illegal drugs among students, the PDEA said.