Top officials of different government agencies in Cebu join Governor Gwen Garcia during the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between members of the One Cebu-Interagency Task Force at the Cebu Provincial Capitol on Wednesday, December 7, 2022. CDN Digital photo | Pegeen Maisie Sararaña
CEBU CITY, Philippines — A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was signed between members of the One Cebu-Interagency Task Force at the Cebu Provincial Capitol on Wednesday, December 7, 2022.
This task force, which aims to address the problems of illegal drugs here, is composed of 13 government and non-government agencies.
These are the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA-7); Police Regional Office (PRO-7); Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority; National Bureau of Investigation (NBI-7); Armed Forces of the Philippines; National Intelligence Coordinating Agency; Philippine Coast Guard – Coast Guard District in Central Visayas; Cebu Port Authority; Maritime Industry Authority; Bureau of Customs; Civil Aviation Authority -7; Bureau of Immigration Cebu District Office; and the Integrated bar of the Philippines, both Cebu and Cebu City chapters.
The signing was also witnessed by Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, and other mayors from Cebu province.
Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia will function as the drug czar or the one who will oversee the operations of the task force.
Police Brigadier General Roderick Augustus Alba, PRO-7 chief, in his speech, admitted that the fight against illegal drugs is not easy, but it isn’t a hopeless case.
For her part, Garcia said that the MOA signing for this task force is only their first step in the fight against illegal drugs. The challenge here, she said, is the actual hard work after this.
“If we cannot totally eradicate it, at least we will make it very difficult for these drug suppliers to make Cebu their market place. We will make it very very difficult for those who intend to start another lucrative business, selling drugs, here in Cebu, well, we will make life a hell for them,” Garcia said.
“Atoa sa siguraduon nga walay makasulod nga anay, walay makasulod nga taya. Mao ranay mukotkot unya…that wil undermine all our efforts, progress, and development,” she added.
Aside from targeting the supply reduction, Garcia said that the task force will also be working and focusing on demand reduction and the prosecution of cases.
Last September, Garcia declared an all-out war against illegal drugs.
/bmjo
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