THE Marcos Jr. administration’s commitment to a more humane approach in solving drug problems has resulted in the confiscation of P57.09 billion worth of shabu and other prohibited substances, the Journal Group learned.

The Numbers of the National Anti-Drug Campaign from July 1, 2022 to February 28, 2025 showed that of the P57.09 billion worth of illegal drugs confiscated during the period.

Nearly P7.4 tons of them are shabu followed by 89.19 kilograms of cocaine, over 127,000 pieces of the designer drug called Ecstasy and some 7.2 tons of dried marijuana leaves.

The period also saw the Philippine National Police, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and other law enforcement agencies conducting a total of 100,731 anti-drug operations which resulted in the arrest of 136,051 drug offenders.

All arrested suspects are now facing criminal charges for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

A total of 3 clandestine shabu laboratories and 1,354 drug dens were also dismantled by the PNP under General Rommel Francisco D. Marbil and the PDEA now chaired by Director General Isagani R. Nerez.

A total of 29,390 barangays have also been declared as ‘drug-cleared’ during the period while another 6,113 barangays are still being subjected to drug-clearing operations.

Not included in the accomplishment report are the nearly P1.5 billion worth of shabu confiscated by combined PDEA and PNP agents in three major anti-narcotics operations this month.

They include the 120 kilograms of shabu worth P816 million intercepted inside the Port of Calapan in Calapan City in Oriental Mindoro on Friday last week; the estimated 40 kilograms of shabu valued at P272 million recovered during an anti-narcotics operation in Binangonan, Rizal on Wednesday last week; and the confiscation of 50 kilograms of shabu worth P340 million in an anti-drug operation in Muntinlupa City two Fridays ago.

Four crime suspects were arrested during those three operations and are now facing non-bailable charges for violation of RA 9165.

Officials earlier said that the Marcos Jr. administration’s commitment to a more humane and effective approach to solving the country’s drug problem had resulted in a 95 percent reduction in the number of anti-narcotics targets who were killed during the 1st 18 months of the present dispensation compared to the records churned out during the previous Duterte presidency.

Records from the PDEA showed that a total of 3,968 suspected drug personalities were killed as a result of the ‘bloody war on drugs’ launched during the 1st 18 months of the Duterte administration or from July 1, 2016 to December 31, 2017.

PDEA spokesperson, Attorney Joseph Frederick Calulut said if compared to the 195 known drug personalities who died in clashes with law enforcement agents of the Marcos administration from July 1, 2022 to December 31, 2023, it means a 95.08 percent reduction.

The PDEA figure showed that an average of 7 suspected drug personalities were killed daily during the 1st 558 days of the Duterte administration. On the other hand, an average of 0.3 suspected drug personalities were killed during the 1st 18 months of the Marcos presidency.

The PNP chief had said that stopping the drug chain or flow of prohibited substances inside the country, not killing suspected drug personalities, is their top strategy under the Marcos Jr. administration.

“Our drive will continue with more focus on rehabilitating users apart from dismantling the operations of drug syndicates,” Gen. Marbil said.

The PNP chief underscored the importance of minimizing violence in this new approach.

President Marcos Jr said that “extermination” has never been a part of his administration’s anti-illegal drugs campaign, stressing that the drive will remain “bloodless.’

“When President Marcos Jr. assumed office, he said he wants a principled, accountable and dependable government. He really wants to focus on drug rehabilitation,” a top official explained.

There were also fewer drug suspects arrested during the Duterte administration which is 75,880 compared to the 119,058 hauled to jail during the present Marcos government.

The PDEA official attributed the decrease in drug deaths to a pivotal shift, from a “harsh approach at the time of Duterte’s drug war to the present campaign where heightened attention on the conduct of intelligence-based anti-narcotics operations is given much emphasis.”

The PDEA leadership said the use of non-violent methods in arresting drug suspects led to a significant drop in deaths.

“Drawing lessons from the past on how destructive the drug war can be if it is carried out by lethal force, the Marcos government opted to adopt a more humane approach to solve the drug problem,” the PDEA said in a statement.

The PDEA said “these substantial gains are a testament to the government’s determination to pursue high-value drug traffickers and organized crime networks involved in drugs, while at the same time adhering to the rule of law, respect for life, dignity and human rights.”

Gen. Marbil said that ‘targeting the body-the entire supply chain and the sources driving the drug trade’ instead of concentrating too much on cutting off the heads of the syndicate, is their main objective at present.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Alfred P. Dalizon