CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna—Calabarzon Police Regional Director Chief Supt. Valfrie Tabian has declared 131 barangays in Region 4A (made up of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) as drug-free.
These are 26 in San Luis, Batangas, 23 in Luisiana, 19 in Cavinti, and 24 in Magdalena—all in Laguna—and 39 in Pitogo, Quezon.
Tabian said the figures had been validated and certified by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Region 4A.
The Calabarzon region has 4,018 barangays, 75 percent or 3,011 of which are drug affected, the police director said.
Tabian said they continue to work with PDEA to clear more barangays of illegal drugs through Oplan Double Barrel.
Tabian also announced that under Oplan Tokhang, a total of 53,020 house-to-house visits have been conducted, resulting in the surrender of 71,059 users and 8,334 pushers.
A total of 6,207 individuals were arrested and 238 were killed in different police operations conducted under Oplan Tokhang, he added.
Under Project HVT, 12 high-value targets were arrested, one individual surrendered, and three were killed, Tabian said.
As a result, Tabian noted, focus crimes have trended down to 215 cases in a one-week period ending October 28, compared to 234 in the previous week.