THE Marcos Jr. administration’s commitment to a more humane and effective approach to solving the drug problem has resulted in a 95 percent reduction in the number of anti-drug operations during the 1st 18 months of the present dispensation.

Records from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency now headed by Director General Isagani R. Nerez 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 Joseph Frederick Calulut said 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 seven 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.\

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Rommel Francisco D. Marbil has repeatedly emphasized the Marcos Jr. ‘s administration’s commitment to a bloodless and human rights-based campaign in approving the new anti-drug roadmap developed by the PNP Drug Enforcement Group.

“With this approach, we are not only saving lives but also working toward a better future for our nation. We are committed to addressing the drug issue with compassion, strategy and adherence to the rule of law,” he added.

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.’

Atty. Calulut said the number of deaths during the Marcos administration was 3,773 less compared to the past administration.

The PDEA spokesperson attributed the decrease in drug-related deaths to the present government’s shift in its anti-drug strategy.

“Our operations now are human rights-based, one which gives premium to the rehabilitation of drug dependents while maintaining the intensity of supply reduction efforts or the focus on high-value targets,” Atty. Calulut said.

The numbers of the National Anti-Drug Campaign from July 1, 2022 to January 31, 2024 showed that during the period, a total of P56.36 billion worth of drugs, chemical precursors and essential chemicals were seized by Marcos law enforcement agents.

They include nearly 7.393 tons of shabu, 89.19 kilograms of cocaine, 121,022 pieces of Ecstasy and 5.248 tons of marijuana.

The period also saw the PDEA, the PNP and other Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) conducting a total of 97,406 operations which led in the arrest of 131,578 target drug personalities including 8,404 ‘high-value targets’ and the dismantling of 1,301 secret drug dens and three clandestine shabu laboratories.

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

The Marcos government also declared 29,390 ‘drug-affected barangays’ during the period and is still in the process of clearing 6,113 others.

The Agency explained there are no changes on figures concerning the declaration of drug-cleared and drug-affected barangays because of the imposed moratorium on the activity because of the election period.

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.

Official PDEA records showed that the volume of illegal drugs confiscated under the Marcos administration increased to P31.07 billion from P19.22 billion during the previous government or an increase by 61.65 percent during the same comparative period.

The Agency added that the seizure of 4,212.68 kilograms of shabu by the Marcos administration during the same period was also higher by 62.43 percent compared to the 2,593.48 kilos of cocaine confiscated during 1st 18 months of the Duterte government.

More clandestine shabu laboratories and drug dens were also dismantled from 210 to 821 during the same comparative period.

At the same time, the number of marijuana eradication drives conducted by Marcos law enforcement agents during the period rose to 142 or 273.68 percent higher compared to the record of the previous administration.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Alfred P. Dalizon