The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has a new chief in retired police Major General Isagani Nerez.

On Tuesday, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin confirmed the appointment to Palace reporters. Malacañang has yet to release the official appointment documents as of writing.

With this new appointment, Nerez replaces retired police general Moro Virgilio Lazo, who was appointed as PDEA chief in October 2022.

Nerez is a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy Maharlika Class of 1984. Apart from his career in law enforcement, he is also a lawyer.

In 2022, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. appointed Nerez as Undersecretary for Police Affairs at the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Military Affairs.

During his tenure with the Philippine National Police (PNP), he served in different units such as the Police Anti-Crime Emergency Response and the Directorate for Integrated Police Operations in Eastern Mindanao.

In addition to these assignments, he was part of the PNP Special Action Force, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force, and the PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group.

He also served as Chief of Police of the Baguio City Police Office and later rose through the ranks to become Chief Superintendent of the Cordillera Police Regional Office.

The PDEA is the government’s lead agency in combating the proliferation of illegal drugs in the country. It is also responsible for the efficient law enforcement of all provisions on dangerous drugs and/or precursors and essential chemicals.