Hundreds of homeowners associations in Quezon City, mostly in gated and exclusive subdivisions and condominiums, joined forces to support the city government’s effort to curb the drug problem.
In a statement, the city government said members of the Alliance of Quezon City Homeowners Association, Inc (AQCHAI) agreed to cooperate with the Quezon City Anti-Drug Abuse Advisory Council (QCADAAC), the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) and the barangays in the government’s anti-illegal drugs campaign.
In Wednesday’s meeting with the QCADAAC chaired by Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte, the homeowners volunteered to draft guidelines or protocol that can be used by law enforcers in their drug operations in villages and condominiums. AQCHAI will submit the proposed guidelines to QCADAAC on September 16.
After the adoption of the guidelines or protocol, law enforcers may enter posh villages such as White Plains, Corinthian, Xavierville and St. Ignatius to conduct anti-drugs operations.
AQCHAI president Gloria Soriano said homeowner groups will help the Philippine National Police make the country drug-free and crime-free.
“We overcame our prejudice against police because of their renewed commitment to stamping out drugs, thus, we will give our full cooperation,” Soriano said.
In the past years, police had a hard time entering posh villages to serve warrants of arrest or conduct legal searches due to policies of exclusivity of the gated subdivisions.
But with the support and consent of homeowners associations led by the 91-member AQCHAI, the anti-illegal drug operation, aimed to maintain peace and order and crimeless subdivision, can be conducted inside the member subdivisions by just following the set of guidelines or protocol.
QCPD director Senior Supt. Guillermo Eleazar said the continuing drug operations in the city has tremendously decreased crimes including rape, robbery, car theft and carjacking for the past two months.
However, Eleazar quickly noted that murder cases have increased by 208 percent.