By Mar Supnad

President Rodrigo Duterte will soon announce Bataan as the first-ever drug-free province in the country.

This development came after Sr. Supt Benjamin Silo Jr., Bataan police director, presented a giant manifesto to Governor Abet Garcia where the 237 chairmen of Bataan’s Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council (BADAC) certified that their barangays have been rid of illegal drugs.

Gov. Garcia also concurred in the manifesto, which is also expected to be signed and certified by Chief Supt. Aaron Aquino, Central Luzon police director and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Central Luzon.

After the signing of top police, PDEA and Gov. Garcia, Silo said the giant manifesto will be forwarded to Malacañang where President Duterte will announce it publicly.

“Every barangay captain has already certified that their areas have been rid of illegal drugs after we conducted a massive operations called ‘Tokhang’ and we did it successfully,” Silo told Manila Bulletin. “But we are still vigilant and had activated the Sumbong bilis, a civilian volunteers, to report to us any resurgence of such illegal drugs activities.”

Silo warned those who surrendered to avoid returning to the drug trade as the police will not hesitate to run after them again.

Chief Supt. Aquino said Bataan’s success in campaign against illegal drugs will be uses as a paradigm to other provinces and cities until the region will be totally rid of illegal drugs.