Gov’t winning drug war, PDEA claims

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) director general Aaron Aquino

Although admitting that recycling of seized illegal drugs is still rampant, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) director general Aaron Aquino said the government is nevertheless winning the war on drugs during the Senate briefing on the 2020 budget of the agency.

“Yes, sir. We are winning the war on drugs,” Aquino replied when asked by Senate Finance Committee vice chairman Sen. Panfilo Lacson on the status of the drug situation.

Aquino said of the 42,045 barangays, 32,788 or 77.9 percent are affected by illegal drugs. Of the 77.9 percent, 41 percent he revealed, were already cleared of drugs nationwide.

The PDEA chief added that there are 9,257 barangays currently considered as drug-free. Most of the drug-free barangays are located in far-flung areas.

During Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon’s interpellation, Aquino was asked if the drug recycling is still rampant.

“Sir, I guess it’s still rampant. The recycling of drug especially on operatives down there. Their usual modus is when they seize drugs, half of that was being surrendered and they are claiming that it was only the drugs seized during the operations. The other ones are being kept either for future operations or worst they sell the drugs,” Aquino admitted.

The PDEA chief said information given by assets and some operatives have convinced him that the drug-recycling is rampant.

He, however, assured that some law enforcement agencies and not the PDEA operatives are the ones who recycle the seized drugs.

Malacañang, nevertheless asked Aquino to put in black and white everything he knows about the alleged still prevalent illegal drugs trade inside the national penitentiary.

“Has Mr. Aquino submitted a memorandum to the President relative to that? We have to ask him first. If he has, then we will find out what action the President will take.” presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a news conference.

Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, in the senate hearing, reminded PDEA and the Dangerous Drugs Board to maximize existing drug rehabilitation facilities to give drug dependents a chance to reform themselves.

With a total of 54 rehabilitation centers, 19 of which are operated by the Department of Health, private rehabilitation centers, and a combined 5,300 bed capacity in all existing centers in the country, Go asked the concerned agencies what further steps they should do in order to fully utilize the rehabilitation centers on top of the community-based rehabilitation method.