ILLEGAL DRUGS. Some PHP414 million worth of shabu were seized in a buy-bust operation in Marilao, Bulacan on March 2, 2022). Bryan Babang, regional director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Central Luzon, said the entrapment operation led to the arrest of a high-value target who is a resident of Bacoor, Cavite. (Photo courtesy of PDEA Region 3)
MANILA – More than 24,000 villages across the country have been cleared of illegal drugs since the start of the Duterte administration's crackdown on banned drugs in mid-2016.
Based on the latest Real Numbers data released by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) over the weekend, a total of 24,766 out of the 42,045 barangays have been declared drug-cleared, 6,575 were drug unaffected/drug-free, and 10,704 have yet to be cleared of illegal drugs as of March 2022.
The drug-clear status follows the certification of members of the oversight committee on the Barangay Drug-Clearing Program (BDCP).
Under the BDCP, law enforcement agencies take care of supply reduction efforts to disrupt the manufacture and distribution of dangerous drugs, while government agencies and local government units (LGUs) focus on demand and harm reduction strategies to prevent people from taking and wanting illegal drugs, and reform drug offenders to become productive citizens of society.
PDEA Director General Wilkins Villanueva previously said village chiefs are accountable if they fail to establish their barangay drug abuse councils.
Overall, authorities have seized PHP88.83 billion worth of illegal substance across the country since the start of the Duterte administration.
The amount included PHP76.17 billion worth of shabu.
Authorities have confiscated 11,788.83 kilograms (kg) of shabu, 10,157.27 kg of marijuana, 163.295 pieces of ecstasy, and 530.24 kg of cocaine, while dismantling 1,111 drug dens, and 19 clandestine shabu laboratories from July 2016 to March 2022.
A total of 14,888 high-value targets (HVTs) across the country were arrested since the anti-illegal drugs campaign was launched on July 1, 2016.
The figure includes 6,632 HVTs arrested from high impact operations, 4,030 target-listed suspects, 1,619 drug den maintainers, 797 drug group leaders/members, 522 government employees, 400 elected officials, 360 foreigners, 295 included on wanted lists, 126 uniformed personnel, 78 armed group members, and 24 prominent personalities.
Authorities also arrested 336,796 individuals involved in illegal drugs during the period, including 4,307 minors who are broken down into 2,532 pushers; 987 possessors; 522 users; 234 visitors of drug den; nine drug den maintainers; 17 drug den employees, three cultivators; one clan lab employee; and two runners.
The rescued minors, after court proceedings, are turned over to the Bahay Pag-asa centers of LGUs within eight hours of police custody, before taking them to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
The consolidated report showed 6,241 drug suspects died during 233,356 anti-illegal drug operations. (PNA)
