CEBU, Philippines — The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) - 7 and the Philippine National Police have welcomed the recent pronouncement of President Rodrigo Duterte regarding the possibility of PNP leading the war again if the problem worsens.
Duterte made the pronouncement during the launch of the farmer's market of the Department of Agriculture in Davao City last Saturday.
Just a month ago, Duterte declared PDEA as the lone agency to lead the campaign after several policemen got involved in controversies surrounding the drug war. He ordered the PNP to focus on curbing criminality specifically the motor-riding-in-tandem suspects.
PDEA-7 spokesperson Leia Albiar said Duterte’s pronouncement is a relief because it is not a secret that PDEA has very limited manpower.
The agency only has over 900 personnel nationwide allowed to conduct operations.
“Dako gyod kaayo ni nga tabang sa atong agency, especially sa atong campaign sa illegal drugs kay giangkon man gyod nato nga dili nato kaya kay daghan kaayo ta og respondehan og puhon-puhon, madayun, dako kaayo among pasalamat. Again, we welcome the PNP back in campaign against illegal drugs," Albiar said.
This does not mean, however, that PDEA has failed in its responsibilities, she clarified.
She said continuous operation on the part of PDEA have led to the apprehension of mostly high value targets and narcopoliticians in Central Visayas, which, in effect, created dents to the supply and demand of illegal drugs in Region 7.
"Nakita nato nga nimahal ang shabu from P8, 000-P16,000 karon kay P30 000 na per bulto sa among latest monitoring," Albiar said.
The reduction in supply has reportedly led to desperate suppliers producing low grade shabu like the yellowish substance getting confiscated in several operations.
"Makadaot gane to ang pure unsa nalang kaha ni ang naay sagol," Albiar warned the public.
Leaders in the police offices in Central Visayas said the PNP will step up once an official order is issued.
“The Philippine National Police (PNP) internal cleansing program is a continuing process and the return of the PNP to lead the campaign against illegal drugs is good to get rid of the supply until such time (that) the PDEA, is fully manned. PRO7 will help in the aggressive demand reduction strategy, (to include) rehabilitation, education, treatment and still continue our aggressive supply reduction strategy,” said Chief Supt. Jose Mario Espino of the Police Regional Office (PRO) - 7.
Cebu City Police Office chief, Senior Supt. Joel Doria, also said, “Kung ibabalik sa atin, ready naman tayo to implement. If may directive ang headquarters then we will implement.”
In Central Visayas, before the PNP was sidelined in the drug war, data showed that between July 1, 2016 to January 30, 2017 and March 1 – October 10, 2017, the police visited 1,174,148 houses and conducted 8,724 operations. Records also showed that 123,417 have surrendered and 13,500 others were arrested. At least 228 died in the operations.
Records showed further that the police confiscated 49,597.88 grams of shabu worth of P585,254,984. (FREEMAN)