AUTHORITIES on Monday expressed alarm over the frequent killings in Barangay Barra,

Opol town in Misamis Oriental. Barangay kagawad Manny Bersabal took to the City Council
to air his worries over the the worsening drug problems in the village.
Bersabal said since 2014, barangay records show that there have been 11 persons shot, 10
of whom were killed.
Eight of these shootings were found to be drug-related cases.
"Ang most alarming pa gayud is ang mga victims as well as suspects is dili taga Barra,
Opol, taga laing parte sa MisOr, matingala mi nganung mangabot man sila sa amoa, tungod
diay sa droga," Bersabal said.
Bersabal cited Zone 10 as the most illegal drug-infested area in the barangay.
For his part, Senior Superintendent Manuel Alvarez, Misamis Oriental police director, said
he noticed a unique pattern in the crime incidents in the barangay.
"It seems that after we conduct buy-bust operation, or after that One Time Big Time
operation on December 23 for instance, pagka-ugma ana, naay mamatay, sigurado gayud,"
Alvarez said.
"Our investigation reveals that they are killing each other kay nagduda na sila basin naay
nag-tip sa ila to us, nag-unay nalang sila, nang-damay," he added.
To combat the drug problem, Alvarez said they have augmented the police personnel in the
area who conduct a 24/7 patrol, set up checkpoints, and mount intelligence gathering
operations.
Alvarez said from December 3 to January 15, 2016, some 40 drug personalities have been
arrested in the village.
Twenty-one arrests were made in the Oplan One Time Big Time operation on December
23 alone.
Alvarez encouraged the activation of Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council (Badac) which
would help identify the drug sellers and users at the barangay level.
The Misamis Oriental Police force, he said, has come up with a three-phase drug clearing
program which it hopes would ensure zero drug-related crimes in the barangay.

"We also plan to include in our fight with illegal drugs the religious leaders, such as the
Imams of the mosques, Christians, among others," Alvarez said.
Bersabal thanked the police presence in the barangay, which according to him, is gradually
eliminating the violence in the area.
He hopes that the current peaceful situation of the barangay will continue with the help of
local authorities.
"Mapadayon na unta ang kalinaw sa among barangay kay lisod kaayo sir na mamuyo na
naa nalang patay pagkalit," he added.