President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed the heads of the country’s national and regional peace and order councils (RPOCs) to act against political violence and the illegal drug trade, the two biggest concerns threatening peace and order in the country, Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said Wednesday, April 19.
Lacson, Western Visayas RPOC head, attended the first joint national and regional POCs meeting for 2023 presided by the president in Malacañang Tuesday night, April 18.
The meeting was also attended by Vice President Sara Duterte.
The governor also took his oath as chairman of the Western Visayas RPOC.
So far there have been no cases of political violence in Western Visayas, Lacson said.
Lacson said he will ask PBrig. Gen. Leo Francisco, PNP Region 6 director, to give an updated report on the political situation in Western Visayas with the barangay and Sangguniang Panlungsod elections in October nearing.
It is imperative that the PNP regional director updates us, Lacson said.
“To be updated will somehow give us better assurance that the elections will be peaceful,” he added.
The peace and order councils must focus on addressing the proliferation of illegal or loose firearms that fuel violence in the country, the president said at the meeting, as he also warned about the rise of warlordism.
The other overwhelming problem confronting the country today is violence perpetrated by drug syndicates quarreling over territory with the involvement of some members of the police force, Marcos said.*