PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief, General Dionardo B. Carlos yesterday said he has ordered the PNP Drug Enforcement Group and the 17 other police regional offices to account for more ‘high-value targets’ in the country and ensure their successful prosecution with the help of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

Carlos and PDEA chair, Director General Wilkins M. Villanueva,his mistah from Philippine Military Academy (PMA) ‘Maringal’ Class of 1988, have partnered in the past to smash a number of major drug trafficking syndicates in the country during the early years of the PDEA.

The top cop emphasized that unless they start shooting at officers, drug personalities should be arrested and thoroughly investigated so that they can spill the beans on their main source of shabu and other drugs as well as rogues in uniform who are in cahoots with them.

“Mas maganda ‘yung mga high-value individuals po ang mahuli. This is part of our continuing war on drugs in which we want to build-up strong cases against high-value individuals,” Carlos said.

According to the 27th PNP chief, the PNP Double Barrel Finale Version 2022 will also focus on strengthening the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council or BADACs nationwide.

“Ang focus naman po ng ating huling version ay ‘yung ating barangay development program kung saan ‘yung ang ating BADACs o Barangay Anti-Abuse Council ay pinalalakas with the presence of police sa barangay na sila ‘yung nagiging partner in the supervision of the force multiplier, ‘yung ating mga kasama sa iba’t ibang komunidad,” Gen. Carlos said.

He explained that their Double Barrel Finale Version 2022 also aims to bolster the government’s anti-drug campaign thru their continuous coordination with the PDEA and the Dangerous Drugs Board headed by Secretary Catalino S. Cuy.

Carlos said the program will help drug addicts recover through their wellness and recovery programs. “Ito ho ay more on reaching out to the victims o ‘yung adik na po na makapagbago. Malakas po ‘yung ating presensya sa mga barangays through the BADACs at ‘yung mga pulis na nandiyan sa barangays,” he added.

The PNP chief said the PNP-DEG headed by Brigadier Gen. Remus B. Medina and other Drug Enforcement Units from the different police regional, provincial and city offices as well as municipal stations will be the ones to launch ‘intelligence-based anti-narcotics operations.’

“Ang importante po dito sa sinasabi nating finale, papaano po tayo magtatapos para sa ating administration ng ating Pangulo pagdating po ng June 30 ay makita ho natin in totality ‘yung ating approach para dito sa laban natin sa ilegal na droga. Ito po ‘yung ating Finale Version 2022,” he said.

Anti-narcotics officials said Carlos has ordered them to focus on their internal cleansing program and at the same time build-up cases against ‘HVTs’ in their list.

The new PNP chief’s directive is simple: conduct anti-drug operations with the end in view of catching the ‘big fishes’ or the main suppliers, distributors, smugglers or manufacturers of prohibited drugs specifically shabu which remains the no. 1 drug of abuse in The Philippines.

The top cop also expressed confidence that concerted efforts by different government agencies led by the Anti-Money Laundering Council will help stop money-laundering and terrorist financing in the country.

He has instructed the PNP-DEG to continue working with the AMLC and other concerned agencies to stop terrorist financing in the country with the move aimed at having the country removed from the Financial Action Task Force’s “gray list.”

Last February, the PNP and AMLC signed a memorandum of agreement to solidify coordination and boost efforts in enforcing provisions of RA 10168.

This was in addition to the past individual memorandums of agreement entered into by AMLC with various PNP offices and units such as the PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and the Intelligence Group to beef up the campaign against terrorist financing.

The agreement between the PNP and AMLC provides for the establishment of a center at Camp Crame which will serve as an information-sharing hub between the two agencies.

The AMLC recently deputized the PNP-DEG to help them go after ill-gotten properties of drug lords and their ilk in the country. The PNP-DEG headquarters houses the Joint PNP-AMLC Fusion Center in Camp Crame.

Another significant move in the government’s war against big-time drug personalities is the decision of the AMLC to deputize the PNP-DEG in its effort to attack the financial structure of drug trafficking and money-laundering groups in the country.

Medina said they consider their AMLC deputation as an effective tool to recover drug money including those being laundered in The Philippines.

However, to seize suspected ill-gotten wealth and other properties of known drug personalities, the PNP-DEG will be fully working with the AMLC to obtain a warrant from the Court of Appeals.

Medina explained that asset forfeiture means the government taking of property that has been illegally used or acquired without compensating the owner as soon as there is evidence that he acquired the properties thru his illegal drug activities.

Assets that are subject to forfeiture include motor vehicles, real estate, houses or anything of value used to commit a drug crime or bought with drug proceeds.

Officials said the move not only takes the profit of crime away but also removes crime instrumentalities. At the same time, it is used to deter crime, dismantle drug trafficking syndicates and money-laundering groups; weaken criminal enterprise and most importantly, punish drug financiers, smugglers and their ilk.

According to Medina, they got their authority from the AMLC following a three-day deputation workshop spearheaded by AMLC Executive Director Attorney Mel George B. Racela.

With their new authority, Medina said they will be able to further cripple the activities of big-time drug traffickers and other violators of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 and the Anti-Money Laundering Act.

“We are currently fully working with the AMLC to establish the money trail of all our big-time targets in order to arrest them and eventually forfeit their assets in favor of the government,” said Medina.

Thirty-seven PNP-DEG officers and men attended the workshop which was the product of an enhanced cooperation between the PNP and the AMLC which has already established a PNP-AMLC Intelligence Fusion Center in Camp Crame last February 15.

Medina said the AMLC-deputized PNP-DEG operatives headed by their intelligence chief, Colonel Jhoanna P. Rosales will form part of their tracker teams dedicated to work hand-in-hand with AMLC officials in conducting financial investigation and if warranted, the filing of civil forfeiture cases and freeze order.

The official said that in line with the directive of Gen. Eleazar, they got the AMLC

So far this year, multi-billion pesos worth of shabu have been seized by the PDEA and the PNP, along with other government law enforcement agencies in a series of anti-narcotics operations in Metro Manila and Calabarzon and Central Luzon region.

At least six Chinese drug targets have also been killed in gunbattles with undercover officers.