Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko” Domagoso on Monday warned barangay officials he would remove them from their positions if they cannot eradicate illegal drugs in their respective communities after the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency reported that the capital is Metro Manila’s top drug-infested city.
Last week, PDEA claimed that 90 percent of barangays in Manila were still affected by drugs.
Domagoso warned the “underperforming” barangay officials after presenting 35 drug suspects at City Hall on Monday.
Most of the suspects were nabbed in Tondo, the mayor’s home district.
Of Manila’s 896 barangays, only 89 have been rid of illegal drugs, while 807 others are still affected by the narcotics trade, according to PDEA-NCR Director Joel Plaza.
Domagoso asked the barangay officials to resign if they could not rid their areas of illegal drugs, saying he will recommend the dismissal of village chiefs who failed to stop the illicit activity.
At least nine suspected drug users and pushers were apprehended over the weekend after Domagoso challenged police and anti-drug forces to clear the Baseco area of illegal drugs in one week.
The mayor said drug suspects should be jailed while people carrying loose firearms should also be arrested and their firearms confiscated.
Domagoso was furious over barangay officials at Baseco for being “inutile” to fight illegal drugs and insinuated that some of them might be receiving drug money.
“Thirty-five were arrested. Thirty-five were alive. We don’t tolerate drug suspects in our city, but at the same time, we respect human rights. They are suspects, let them prove their innocence before the court,” he said.