Duterte urged: Probe execs in MP drug center tiff

By Gina Dizon

            

BAUKO,  MOUNTAIN PROVINCE - President  Rodrigo  Duterte was urged to probe  provincial and municipal assessors' offices  and other personalities  involved in the land claim hindering the  building  of a supposed drug rehabilitation center here.

                The Department of Health already allotted   P65 million regional drug rehabilitation center is projected in  the 6.5 hectare Luis Hora  Memorial Regional Hospital  (LHMRH) medical director Dr Matthew Baggao said.

                Juniper Dominguez, nephew of the late Rep. Victor Dominguez said  the lot  is being contested  by a certain Salvador Bernardez claiming that the projected structure encroaches  on his 1 hectare property covered with a tax declaration.

                The 6.5 hectare  LHMRH is also covered by a tax declaration.

                Bauko Mayor  Abraham Akilit during a press conference said a talk with  congressman Maximo Dalog  noted that the  building shall proceed near the disputed lot while the case shall pursue.

                Dominguez in all of his 60 years said he has not  heard of any protest when the LHMRH  compound was fenced during the term of  then congressman Victor Dominguez.

                Earlier a consultation  was held  May last year at the LHMRH conference hall  attended by Congressman  Dalog, Mayor Akilit,  LHMRH medical director Dr Matthew Baggao, Department  of Health (DOH), government office  heads and the public  announcing the building of a drug treatment and rehabilitation center  to be built at the grounds of LHMRH. 

                The regional facility with initial P65 million sourced from the Department of Health shall cater to alcoholics and drug dependents purposely from the five provinces of the Cordillera Administrative Region and accommodate patients from other places.

                The facility shall be conducting multi- therapy services including psychotherapy, physical development, medical services, counseling and the provision of skills trainings to drug dependent-patients aside from drug tests.

                There are  some  400,000 drug surrenderees of  the five provinces and two cities in the Cordillera in response to the operation Tokhang of the Philippine National Police