PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief, General Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar yesterday said the deployment of additional K-9 teams in seaports, airports and bus terminals in the country will further boost their effort to prevent drug smuggling in these areas of convergence.

Since last month, the PNP Drug Enforcement Group (PNP-DEG) headed by Brigadier Gen. Remus B. Medina has already deployed more K-9 teams and drug sniffing dogs in different seaports and public terminals nationwide to help thwart drug smuggling specifically during the coming Yuletide season.

During the recent observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, PNP-DEG Narcotics Detection Dogs (NDDs) were sent in busy piers in Mimaropa and Visayas and Mindanao regions to help prevent possible drug smuggling.

“This initiative will be a big boost in our anti-illegal drugs campaign,” said PNP Director for Operations, Major Gen. Rhodel O. Sermonia as he expressed optimism that the deployment of the PNP NDDs which have undergone rigorous selection and training process will greatly deter the transshipment of illegal drugs in our ports and terminals.

“This is also part of our much stronger partnership with all government agencies and different stakeholders to greatly improve our supply reduction initiative meant to suppress the movement of illegal drugs across the country as ordered by Gen. Eleazar,” said Sermonia.

Medina said the NDD deployment is being done in line with their intensified campaign against drug trafficking as ordered by President Duterte.

“We are deploying our K-9 teams in seaports and public terminals to thwart drug smuggling being carried out by syndicates in these areas,” the official said.

The 2nd wave of the simultaneous deployment of NDDs which started on Friday last week saw K-9 teams being dispatched at the Bredco Port in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, Pier 3 located along Quezon Boulevard corner V. Sotto Street in Barangay Tinago, Cebu City; Bgy. Central II Port Area in Palompon, Leyte, the Zamboanga City Port; the Macabalan Port in Bgy. Macabalan in Cagayan de Oro City; the DAVSAM Ferry Wharf located along Kilometer 13 in Panacan, Davao City; and Port of Caminawit in Felix Avenue, San Jose, Occidental Mindoro.

Medina said the DEG K-9 teams underwent a series of seminars on anti-illegal drugs operational procedures prior to their deployment.

The official said they are particularly watching seaports and bus terminals since they are known to be favorite smuggling points of drug syndicates.

“By deploying our K-9 unit, we are optimistic that we can prevent the possible transport and trafficking of illegal drugs in our seaports and bus terminals. This also comes vis-à-vis with our conduct of systematic patrolling and regular checkpoints to help local territorial units go after illegal drugs,” the PNP-DEG director said.

Medina added their NDDs are tasked to inspect the baggage and other belongings of passengers of RORO and buses.

The K-9 teams were also previously dispatched at the Five Star Bus terminal in Dagupan City, Pangasinan; Victory Liner Bus terminal in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan; the Mabalacat City Bus Complex in Mabalacat, Pampanga; the Batangas International Port in Barangay Sta. Clara, Batangas City; Port of Lucena in Lucena City, Quezon;

Port of Matnog in Matnog, Sorsogon; Pio Duran Port in Pio Duran, Albay; Port of Donsol in Donsol, Sorsogon; Port of Manila, PNR Building in South Harbor, Manila; and Victory Liner Bus terminal in Baguio City.

As part of its supply reduction strategy, the PNP-DEG has identified the illegal drug route or the shabu trafficking flows within the Philippine archipelago based on information gathered from their previous anti-illegal drug operations.

The PNP-DEG findings showed that illegal drugs were mostly transported by syndicates thru identified public bus terminals, airports and seaports.

Medina said given that the Philippines is an archipelagic state that has a vast number of seaports and numerous public transport terminals, Gen. Eleazar ordered the simultaneous deployment of the NDDs in coordination with the 17 Police Regional Offices, the PNP EOD/K-9 Group, Maritime Group, Philippine Ports Authority and Philippine Coast Guard.

Joint PNP-DEG and EOD-K9 Group teams were ordered deployed in the said seaports and bus terminals. Each team is composed of two PNP-DEG investigators, two canine handlers and two NDDs.

“These narcotics detection teams will inspect in particular the baggage and other items being carried by passengers in our RORO terminals which are now favorite smuggling spots of drug traffickers,” Medina said.

Sermonia earlier cited the need for a revitalized interoperability among all law enforcement agencies partnering with the police force in the war on drugs in the wake of the deployment of their NDDs.

According to the official, it is a must for all agencies involved in the government’s anti-illegal drugs campaign to revitalize interoperability capabilities and synergize all their programs to manifest conclusive and overwhelming success on war on drugs down to the grassroots level.

Sermonia also expressed confidence that the government’s aggressive campaign against illegal drugs abuse and its trafficking will attain a conclusive success before President Duterte steps down from his office.

However, this could only be done if the primary agencies involved like the PNP specifically the PNP Drug Enforcement Group, the country’s lead anti-narcotics agency, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, the Philippine Coast Guard, the National Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Customs and the Philippine Port Authority would strive hard to strengthen collaborative partnerships between each agency and with various stakeholders, he added.