“We are now 80% successful against the illegal drugs war.”

These words came from all law enforcement agencies (LEAs) officers in response to Gov. Edgar M. Chatto’s query on Bohol’s success rate on its relentless war against the illegal drugs trade during Thursday’s Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) meeting at the Governor’s Mansion.

Deputy Provincial Director PSupt. Lorenzo Batuan, who reported about the province’s status on its relentless war against illegal drugs in lieu of PNP Provincial Chief Felipe Natividad, -?was the first to utter the aforementioned words to the delight of the PPOC members.

PPOC Chair Gov. Chatto was pleased on how the police reportedly handled the illegal drugs war in Bohol.

So when both LTC Jose Dodgie Belloga of the Philippine Army and City PNP Chief Col. Nicomedes Olaivar concurred with the results, the Council expressed their amazement as one over all LEAs’ commitment, not only to their mandate and to protect the people.

Col. Olaivar also conveyed that the illegal drug personalities are now clearly scared of what might befall them if they get caught using and peddling illegal drugs.

“During recent operations, we could not chance upon these kind of personalities anymore,” Col. Olaivar informed the PPOC.

“In fact, the prices of illegal drugs have drastically gone up that clearly, ordinary users and pushers could not afford them anymore,” Olaivar added.

Col. Belloga also talked about the Countryside Development Program-Purok Power Movement (CDP-PPM’s) Prosperity Tokhang (ProTok) Teams who are doing their share in the barangays, and even down to the puroks.

Gov. Chatto then gave the directive that by 2017! all LEAs must have full blast operations in all the barangays and puroks in Bohol against the illegal drug menace.

“And this is my challenge to all law enforcement agencies: I am daring you to clean Bohol, by all means, of illegal drugs,” Gov. Chatto dared the PNP, AFP, PDEA and all other stakeholders “who care about every Boholano’s dear Bohol.”

Meanwhile, several PPOC members raised the issue of the alarming and rising number of vehicular accidents in our streets, which they firmly believe they said, are related to the usage of illegal drugs.

Mayette Gasatan from the business sector pleaded for a firm hand to blacklist erring drivers who have neither submitted to their vehicle operators their duly accredited driving licenses nor results of their respective drug tests.

In support of Gasatan’s plea, Romy Teruel, now with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), suggested that local government units (LGUs) should include in their requirements for renewal of licenses the list of the duly accredited drivers of vehicle companies.

Furthermore, Rey Anthony Chiu of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) added, that in support to both appeals, vehicle operators who are caught allowing extra drivers other than their usual and duly accredited ones to drive their vehicles, should be blacklisted, for this may very well create confusion and chaos especially after vehicular accidents have happened, whereby finger-pointing might then become rampant.

Related to the driver issue, concerns were then raised about child or minor drivers riding motorcycles who are often seen plying our routes, especially in mountain barangays.

This issue made the governor notice and he then reminded all agencies concerned to constantly remind the public not to allow their children, especially minors, drive “for adults only” motor vehicles. (JLV/PGBh/EDCom)