W. Visayas has new anti-drug czar

By Jennifer Rendon 

A former policeman assigned to the PNP anti-narcotics unit will lead Western Visayas in its fight against illegal drugs.

Effective June 15, 2020, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Region 6 (PDEA-6) will have Edgar Apalla as its new acting regional director.

Apalla, the outgoing regional director of PDEA-Cordillera Administrative Region, will replace Alex Tablate, who was designated as Acting Service Director of the Laboratory Service in PDEA-NHQ.

Tablate replaces Derrick Carteon, who shall continue as Chief of the Public Information Office of PDEA NHQ while in concurrent capacity as Director for Compliance Service.

“It’s a normal movement of personnel. Just like in the PNP or other armed service, we don’t stay from one post for a long time,” he said.

Tablate said the reshuffling is also in support of the programs and initiatives of newly designated PDEA Director General Wilkins Villanueva.

As he bade farewell to Western Visayas, Tablate thanked the mass media for “playing a very important and crucial role in reporting the major happenings in the region, especially our consolidated efforts against illegal drugs.”

“As a DevCom (Developmental Communication) graduate myself, though I wasn’t given the opportunity to practice this noble calling and profession, in one way or another, somehow I believe and in behalf of PDEA RO6, we have contributed something, how small it may seem, the information you need in appraising and updating the public of the status and initiatives pertaining to illegal drugs in our AOR (area of responsibility)… besides we all know the difference of the situation right now, compared 4 or 5 years ago,” he said.

Tablate assumed the top PDEA-6 post after the controversial relief of his predecessor on Dec. 17, 2018.

PDEA-6 was then under fire for not immediately filing criminal charges against arrested drug suspects.

Alex Tablate, then an Investigation Agent V, took over PDEA-6’s top post from Emerson Margate who was relieved along with eight other PDEA-6 agents.