07/05/2026
๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐
๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐: ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.๐๏ธ๐
๐On May 5, 2026, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Iloilo approved the ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ ๐ (๐๐๐) ๐๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง๐๐ง๐๐โ a direct response to the rising number of drug-related incidents at the grassroots, including recent buy-bust operations involving barangay officials themselves.
Authored by ๐๐จ๐ง. ๐๐ฎ๐ง๐ ๐. ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ซ, Chairperson of the Committee on Public Order and Security, the ordinance organizes barangay officials, tanods, BHWs, SK officials, and accredited civic groups into a community watch against illegal drugs, with monetary rewards of โฑ10,000 to โฑ30,000 for information leading to lawful arrests โ the higher amounts applying when the suspect is a Kagawad, SK Official, or Punong Barangay.โ๏ธ
To prevent abuse, the ordinance is equipped with ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ ๐ฌ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ:
๐น Informants may report to ๐ฌ๐๐ค๐๐ซ๐๐ง ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฎ ๐ฉ๐ง๐ช๐จ๐ฉ ๐ข๐ค๐จ๐ฉโ the Punong Barangay, Mayor, Chief of Police, PDEA Officer, IPG Focal Person, or the Governor.
๐น Rewards are released only if the information is ๐จ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐๐๐๐, ๐ก๐๐ฌ๐๐ช๐ก๐ก๐ฎ ๐ค๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐, ๐ข๐๐ฉ๐๐ง๐๐๐ก๐ก๐ฎ ๐ก๐๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ ๐ก๐๐ฌ๐๐ช๐ก ๐๐ง๐ง๐๐จ๐ฉ ๐ค๐ง ๐๐๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ก๐๐ฃ๐, ๐ฃ๐ค๐ฉ ๐ข๐๐ก๐๐๐๐ค๐ช๐จ๐ก๐ฎ ๐๐๐๐ง๐๐๐๐ฉ๐๐, ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐จ๐ช๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ค๐ง๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ฎ ๐ฌ๐ง๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ฃ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐จ.
๐น False reports and breaches of confidentiality are ๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐๐ก๐๐ฏ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฉ๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐จ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ง๐๐จ๐ค๐ฃ๐ข๐๐ฃ๐ฉ.
A measure that empowers communities โ without compromising due process.โ
๐ฏ
Photo credits: SP - Province of Iloilo