Tagbilaran City Police Station chief Nicomedes Olaivar on Monday said that there are several barangays in the city which have been recommended as candidates for being declared drug-free in 2017.

According to Olaivar, the Tagbilaran police has been conducting anti-drug clearing operations in barangays since December and some have been deemed qualified to claim the drug-free badge.

However, the police official did not disclose which city villages are on their way to becoming drug-free since evaluations of these areas are ongoing.

Last month, Olaivar noted that the number of arrests made against drug pushers have dwindled since narcotics activities have significantly weakened in the city.

Based on reports from villages, some pushers have stopped to peddle illegal drugs while others have fled the city due to the police’s intensified anti-drug campaign.

Olaivar, following the development, expressed optimism that from clearing barangays of the drug menace, the Tagbilaran police can move on to declaring the entire city as drug-free.

In the entire province, Tagbilaran City has been the latest to recommend barangays that are qualified for drug-clearing evaluations. (Allen Doydora)