155 slain in drug war during quarantine

MANILA, Philippines — A total of 155 drug suspects have been killed in anti-drug operations during the community quarantine.

Citing data from the government’s Real NumbersPH platform, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said 16,859 other suspected drug dealers were arrested since March when the government imposed a community quarantine to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019.

The PDEA said 169 people, aged four to 17, were rescued and transferred to social welfare and development offices for rehabilitation.

A total of 5,810 drug suspects have been killed and 251,889 arrested in the government’s war on drugs since 2016.

At least 336 elected officials, 96 uniformed personnel and 401 government employees were among those apprehended.

The government seized 10,566.56 kilos of shabu, cocaine and marijuana as well as 51,147 pieces of ecstasy tablets valued at P43.20 billion in 173,348 operations nationwide.

The PDEA said 19,876 barangays have been cleared of illegal drugs. At least 14,491 others remain drug-affected.

PDEA director general Wilkins Villanueva had earlier vowed to speed up drug-clearing operations to end the problem before President Duterte steps down in 2022.

He called on barangay officials to be more active in helping the national government address the drug problem.

Villanueva said barangay officials found to be negligent should be subjected to Oplan Tokhang, a program wherein law enforcers visit drug suspects in their homes to ask them to stop their illegal activities.