The Department of Justice (DOJ) has transformed its Task Force on Anti-Illegal Drugs into an elite prosecution unit that will exclusively handle high-profile drug cases, while ordinary drug cases will now be prosecuted by local prosecution offices.

Justice Undersecretary Ian Norman Dato said the changes amend Department Order No. 161, following a recommendation from the Prosecutor General after virtually all drug cases were being referred to the task force, resulting in case congestion.

"The recommendation of the Prosecutor General was to update the department order because all drug cases ended up with the task force," Dato said.

Under the revised policy, the task force will handle only major drug cases involving at least 10 kilograms of illegal drugs in Metro Manila and 50 kilograms elsewhere in the country.

The unit will also retain jurisdiction over cases involving public officials or law enforcement personnel, foreign nationals arrested at airports or seaports, and selected grave drug-related offenses, including clandestine drug laboratories and obstruction of drug cases.

"Only in those instances will the Task Force on Anti-Illegal Drugs exercise jurisdiction," Dato said.

He said the changes effectively transform the unit into an elite prosecution team focused on dismantling large-scale drug syndicates.

"The task force has been elevated into an elite task force that will only go after syndicate-level drug offenders," he said.

All other drug cases will now be handled by local prosecution offices.

Dato said delegating ordinary drug cases to local prosecutors would allow cases to be handled more efficiently since prosecutors are more familiar with the conditions and circumstances in their respective jurisdictions.