The chair of the Sangguniang Panlungsod's committee on police matters believe that the illegal drugs trade is a profitable business as it continues to flourish despite the government's drive to eradicate the menace. City Councilor Erwin Plagata said the police has already initiated action to reduce the supply and demand of illegal drugs but it continues to exist. The police first tried to focus on the supply reduction and yet nothing happened. They shifted their strategy in demand reduction, also nothing fruitful came out.
Plagata suggested that the police should change its strategy by doing the demand and supply reduction at the same time. In a radio interview, Plagata said an all out war is needed to resolve the problem on the sale and distribution of illegal drugs in the city. The problem should be first resolved in the grassroot level. This could be done with the participation of community.
The help of the barangay officials, law enforcers, non-government organizations and youth organizations are needed to fight the menace, Plagata said. Plagata noted that the illegal drug problem has already destroyed the moral fibers of the society. The nature of crimes 20 years ago compared to the present is comparatively different and extreme, he added.
Plagata also said there is a need to intensify not only the supply and demand reduction but also of the information campaign on the ill-effects of illegal drugs. He believes the continuous information dissemination campaign on the ill effects of illegal drugs will shun the buyers. If there are no buyers, there will be no sellers, he said. The Public Information Office ( PIO ) of the Iloilo City Hall has been conducting "pulong-pulongs" in the city's different barangays on the effects of illegal drugs. After they are done with the pulong-pulong", they started to visit the different schools in Iloilo City. The drive against the use and distribution of illegal drugs is not only a matter of number of arrests but of the enough information campaign on the effects of illegal drugs in one person. There should be a concerted effort from all levels in the society, said Plagata.

Source: The News Today, 25 Feb 2008