House panel pushes drug law’s revamp

Overhauling Republic Act (RA) 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, has drawn support in the House of Representatives, which has been keen to revamp the country’s approach to the anti-drug war.

Surigao del Norte Rep. Ace Barbers, the chairperson of the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs, stressed on Sunday that the panel has already commenced a thorough review of the anti-drug law to “conform and effectively implement the new policy on the continuing battle against illegal drugs.”

Barbers announced the development following the recently concluded three-day Philippine Drug Policy and Law Reform Summit, organized by the United Nations Joint Program on Human Rights, in partnership with the Department of Justice (DoJ) and other key agencies.

The event, which kicked off on 10 July, discussed new policies and reforms to amend the 22-year-old RA 9165.

The DoJ, along with other key agencies, policymakers, civil society organizations, and the academe, was one in pushing for drug policy reforms that are human rights and public health-centered to curb drug dependency — a shift to the “bloody” anti-drug campaign of the Duterte administration.

Justice Undersecretary Jesse Andres, one of the speakers at the event, said the problem of drug abuse does not necessarily necessitate a brutal response.

National Police Commission vice chair and executive officer Alberto Bernardo likewise contended that drug dependency must be addressed with “empathy” and that policies to be set forth must be “fair, just and humane.”

Barbers said the House leadership has taken a proactive role in putting an end to the longstanding menace by supporting government programs, such as the BIDA (Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan), the flagship anti-illegal drugs initiative of the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

This initiative aims to curb drug dependence through education, rehabilitation, and job creation in preparation for the reintegration into society of the rehabilitated victims.

“Through the able leadership of Speaker Romualdez and the staunch commitment of President BBM, we see a stronger and better chance to turn the tide towards freedom from illegal drugs and give hope and a brighter future to our people, saving society from the menace that has ended so many dreams, lives and families”, he said.

The lawmaker then expressed hope that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. would certify as urgent the measure that would amend RA 9165, which is being thoroughly reviewed by his committee.

Marcos Jr. has openly expressed in shifting the country's anti-drug campaign into community-based treatment, rehabilitation, and reintegration—a stark contrast to the approach of his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, whose campaign resulted in roughly 7,000 people killed based on the government's data.

Local and international human rights organizations, however, estimated that the death toll exceeded 30,000, affecting predominantly low-income families and communities.