“Balibago Chairman Rodelio “Tony” Mamac said his village was declared a “drug-cleared” barangay after about 85 percent of the 243 suspected drug pushers and users, who surrendered to the Philippine National Police (PNP) and barangay officials, already disengaged from their illegal activities…
“Mamac however explained that drug-cleared is different from drug-free barangay…admitted that there are still a few individuals who did not stop in the drugs trade but said that the barangay is working hard to become a drug-free village.”
Furthered: “When you say that your barangay is drug-free it means that drug pushing and using totally stopped and we will not stop in our drive because we are aiming to be a drug-free barangay.”
Last time we looked, the word clear still means: (n) free of any obstructions or unwanted objects; (v) to remove (an obstruction or unwanted item) from somewhere.
There: Cleared of drugs means free of drugs.
Or are the police now fractionalizing “free” into degrees?
