RUIZ
BARANGAY chiefs in Cebu City have until March 15 to submit the list of drug personalities in their respective areas to the regional Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA-7).
So far, only 14 of the 80 barangays in the city have complied with the directive, PDEA Regional Director Yogi Filemon Ruiz said.
He said a demand letter will be sent to all barangay chairpersons who will fail to beat the deadline.
“But if they still fail to submit the list, then I have no choice but to inform our director general about it. Cases might be filed,” Ruiz said.
He said Cebu City barangays are their first target.
But Ruiz said the village chiefs from other areas in Central Visayas can also submit the list of drug personalities in their areas.
“There’s no stopping them from submitting a list to PDEA,” Ruiz said.
Ruiz earlier filed administrative cases against barangay officials of Ermita, Cebu City who did not cooperate with PDEA-7 officers in a drug raid of a “shabu tiangge” (flea market) located 500 meters from the barangay hall on Nov. 6 last year.
Last January, the Ombudsman-Visayas ordered a six-month preventive suspension of all Barangay Ermita officials in Cebu City.
The Ombudsman will also conduct an investigation on their alleged failure to cooperate in a drug raid in the area.
Serving the preventive suspension were Ermita barangay chairman Felicisimo Rupinta and barangay council officials Marky Rizaldy Miral, Antonieto Flores, Ryan Jay Rosas, Alio Tamundo, Domingo Ando, Maria Buanghug and Wilbert Flores.