THE Philippine National Police headed by General Benjamin C. Acorda Jr. expressed confidence it is winning the war against illegal drug trafficking and abuse in the country since the start of the administration of President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ R. Marcos Jr.

The top cop particularly cited the major gains that the police force, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and other law enforcement units nationwide, have made in waging a battle against illegal narcotics over the past 12 months.

“At the rate PNP anti-illegal drug operations are getting underway, I can confidently say that the whole government is winning the national campaign against illegal drugs,” Gen. Acorda said.

Major anti-drug accomplishments have been scored by the year-old Marcos administration from July 1, 2022 to date amid the enhanced partnership between the PNP, the PDEA and other LEAs, including the Bureau of Customs.

Both Acorda and PDEA Director General Moro Virgilio M. Lazo also expressed their intention to turn the Philippines into a ‘drug-free country’ by going all-out against illegal drug trafficking and abuse, with focus on the rehabilitation of drug dependents.

PDEA records showed that from July 1, 2022 to June 30 this year, a total of 27,485 barangays in the country have been declared as ‘drug-cleared’ while another 8,071 are still being subjected to drug-clearing operations after earlier being tagged as ‘drug-affected.’

The PNP and the PDEA have closely partnered to arrest illegal drug activities in the country since the agency was created in 2002.

Since then, both agencies have accounted for most of the illegal drugs seized under the previous Macapagal-Arroyo, Aquino and Duterte administrations in succession.

Director General Lazo said that over the past 12 months, government anti-narcotics agents have seized some P22.74 billion worth of shabu and other illegal substances.

The official said that during the period, the PDEA, the PNP and other law enforcement agencies in the country combined to account for more than three tons of tons of shabu, 19.51 kilograms of cocaine, 43,939 pieces of the designer drug called ‘Ecstasy’ and nearly 2.612 tons of dried marijuana leaves.

The PDEA chief said that the period also saw the arrest of 3,556 ‘high-value targets as well as 53,286 other drug personalities as a result of 38,439 anti-drug operations.

The arrested suspects are now facing charges for violation of Republic Act 9165 ro the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Director General Lazo said that 586 secret drug dens and one clandestine drug laboratory were also dismantled by government agents during the period as a result of the stepped-up war on illegal drugs ordered by President Bongbong Marcos.

According to PNP Public Information Office chief Brigadier Gen. Redrico A. Maranan, the supply reduction strategy in the national anti-illegal drugs campaign implemented by the police force has succeeded in breaking the backbone of the drug distribution network in the country.

Maranan said that the more significant milestones in the anti-drug campaign are shown in the results of anti-narcotics operations conducted by the police force since July 2022.

From January 1 to last May 19, 2023 alone, police hauled to jail 23,395 drug personalities as result of 17,668 anti-narcotics operations. The operations led to the confiscation of an estimated P4.76 billion.

From July 2022 until April 2023, the police force posted an arrest record of 44,866 drug personalities, among them 3,169 high value targets

Maranan said that the arrests were made as a result of 32,225 anti-illegal drugs operations which led to the seizure of some P21.72 billion worth of shabu and other illegal drugs.

The same effort further led to the ‘liberation’ of 27,206 more barangay from the clutches of drug abuse, thus, leaving only 8,332 remaining drug-affected barangay among the country’s 42,027 barangay.

Maranan likewise explained that the demand reduction side of the anti-drug campaign is one aspect that we need to work on double time on a whole-of-nation scale to bring together the entire complement of family, community, church, school, workplace and government towards a common goal of a drug-free country.

Acorda has ordered his men to go after top drug personalities across the country amid their intensified crackdown on illegal drug trafficking and abuse.

The PNP chief also said that police units nationwide continue operations against big-time drug pushers and street-level drug personalities.

The PNP Drug Enforcement Group now headed by Colonel Dionisio B. Bartolome Jr. and the Regional and Provincial Drug Enforcement Units of the 17 Police Regional Offices and their respective Provincial, City and Municipal DEUs are tasked to go after known big-time drug traffickers and other ‘high-value targets’ in the country.

Acorda has vowed to sustain the PNP’s massive anti-illegal drugs campaign and internal cleansing program as he cited the force’s success in accounting for nearly P6 billion worth of shabu and other prohibited substances since the year started.

The PNP chief maintained that their efforts have been highly effective in ensuring that those involved in illegal drugs are brought to justice.

The top cop also underscored the need to address the root causes of illegal drug use in the country through an honest-to-goodness demand reduction and rehabilitation.

He said they are also fully supporting President Marcoses’ commitment to continue the crackdown on illegal drugs but within the framework of the law and with respect for human rights.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Alfred P. Dalizon