Pubdate: Tue, 31 Aug 2004 Source: Sunstar Bacolod (Philippines) Copyright: 2004sSunstar Contact: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/bacolod/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1718 Author: Roberto L. Bacasong and Claudine C. Dumalag ANTI-DRUG CAMPAIGN HEIGHTENS AS FESTIVAL NEARS POLICE regional director George Alino said their intensified campaign against illegal drugs in Negros Occidental is a priority, especially with the forthcoming 25th MassKara Festival in October. "I am anticipating the increase of supply of drugs during the MassKara," Alino said during Saturday's Tri-Media Orientation on Oplan Panawagan and Emergency Medical First Responder Course in Bacolod City. He ordered police city director Vicente Ponteras to continue shaping up the City Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operation Task Group and the city police Intelligence and Investigation Branch. Ponteras earlier said that barangays 2, 3, 22, 27, 8, Punta Taytay and Handumanan are Bacolod's "seriously drug-affected" villages that they intend to neutralize before December. "We will seriously campaign for this. I want that Bacolenos celebrate the spirit of MassKara without getting into drugs," Alino said. He also said they are doubling their efforts to clear the remaining 110 out of 500 barangays in the region before December. "I am happy of the performance of BCPO in drug apprehension. BCPO consistently topped the drug performance evaluation in the whole region," Alino said. Senior Supt. Lazaro Torcita, head of the regional Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, revealed that the drug trade in the region has become a family business. Torcita cited the case of arrested suspected drug lord in Western Visayas Jose "Kim" Cuadra whose family members reportedly are also into illegal drug trading. The lack of stable jobs among the youth force them to use or sell illegal drugs.