BUTUAN CITY – The Bancasi Airport here has reopened with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Region 13 (PDEA 13) announcing on Monday that its Airport Interdiction Unit (AIU) and the agency’s K9 Unit has started mandatory tasks of conducting inspection, sniffing, and sweeping operation on inbound and outbound cargoes at Bancasi Airport (BA), in Butuan City.
The BA resumes its services after its temporary closure due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic last March this year.
The undertaking was part of the PDEA’s mandate to closely monitor and to deny entry and exit of dangerous drug by means of our domestic airports.
“The success of this endeavor can be attributed to the continuing good cooperation and support of the management of Bancasi Airport and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) operating in Butuan City,” PDEA 13 Regional Director Aileen T. Lovitos said.
The region’s top PDEA 13 official pointed out that usual assistance, support, and teamwork between PDEA Caraga and the management of Bancasi Airport, together with the CAAP, resulted in the accomplishment of the agency’s mandate to implement or cause the efficient and effective implementation of the national drug control strategy with the assistance of concerned government agencies.
The official also vowed to maintain and to nurture this kind of collaborative effort through the establishment of linkages to all stakeholders in the anti-drug campaign program especially in Caraga region.