RLECC tackles update on peace, drug situations in Caraga
BUTUAN CITY -- The members of the Caraga Regional Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee (RLECC) chaired by the Police Regional Office-13 (PRO-13) convened for the 69th RLECC Meeting on May 23, 2023 at the PRO13 Headquarters, Camp Col. Rafael C. Rodriguez, Barangay Libertad, Butuan City.
The said meeting discussed the peace and order situation and drug situation and assessment in Caraga Region for the first quarter of calendar year 2023, with members from the different regional line agencies in Caraga.
The open forum highlighted some discussions such as the Barangay Drug Clearing Program. The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Caraga representative declared the provinces of Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Sur and Dinagat Islands as 100% drug-cleared with all its barangays.
This left the region with Butuan City and the province of Surigao del Norte with barangays that are not cleared. PDEA further mentioned that some drug personalities in these areas are still included in the Inter-Agency Drug Information Database (IDID) which puts on hold the local government unit application for drug-clearing.
As a member of the said committee, the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Caraga included this essential item in the weekly reporting of issues and concerns, with the aim that appropriate national agencies will closely look into the situation and lend an arm to ensure that the Caraga Region and its barangay local government units will do and perform better in the drug clearing program.
PRO-13 also sought the support of the committee on the spate of killings in the province of Surigao del Sur through the approval of a resolution which was presented and thoroughly discussed to the body. RLECC then gave a green light to another resolution submitted by the National Intelligence Coordination Agency (NICA) Caraga as a step to further address the insurgency in the region.
RLECC was created through Executive Order No. 829 signed by then-President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. on September 11, 1982 which orders the creation of the law enforcement coordinating committee, at the national, regional and provincial levels of the Peace and Order Council to serve as a venue for the coordination of all law enforcement activities of various government law enforcement agencies. (DMNR/RLE/PIA-Caraga)