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MANILA – Fatalities in the anti-illegal drug operations conducted by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) from July 2022 to September 2023 have decreased by 52 percent.
In a statement on Saturday, PDEA Director General Moro Virgilio Lazo said the agency’s renewed drug approach is in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s anti-drug campaign thrust which is geared towards community rehabilitation, going after drug syndicates and getting rid of unscrupulous officials.
“There was a 52 percent decrease in the number of drug-related fatalities during operations initiated by the PDEA, dropping from 40 deaths in the previous period of 2020-2021 to only 19 deaths recorded from July 2022 to September 2023,” the statement read.
PDEA, however, said confiscated shabu significantly increased from 2,349 kilograms in 2020-2021 to 3,795 kgs during 47,076 anti-illegal drug operations conducted from July 2022 to September 2023.
The agency has also apprehended 64,862 drug suspects, slightly higher compared to 64,143 arrests in the same period from 2020 to 2021.
Last Friday, the PDEA destroyed nearly PHP6 billion worth of dangerous drugs, and controlled precursors and essential chemicals (CPECs) at the Integrated Waste Management, Inc. in Barangay Aguado, Trece Martires City, Cavite.
Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos said the destruction of the illegal drugs had saved thousands of young people from the road to perdition.
Abalos commended the PDEA, the Philippine National Police and the different drug enforcement units for their perseverance and hard work in the government’s anti-illegal drugs campaign.
He likewise urged the government’s drug enforcement units to relentlessly go after big syndicates to significantly reduce the supply of illegal drugs in the country.
‘Job well done’
House Dangerous Drug Committee chair and Surigao Del Norte 2nd District Rep. Ace Barbers commended the PDEA for a job well done.
Barbers vowed to support the government’s “bloodless war on drugs” and to pursue his panel’s drug-related inquiries as instructed by House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.
“The House commends PDEA for a job well done in the successful bloodless anti-illegal drug campaign. Your exceptional performance, outstanding efforts, and unwavering dedication to excellence have not gone unnoticed,” Barbers said in a statement on Monday.
“We are looking forward to witnessing law enforcement agencies led by PDEA achieve even greater milestones in the fight against illegal drugs,” he added.
He urged law enforcers to continue the effective strategies “that are just, humane, and without too much harm” in the war against illegal drugs.
“Like food inflation and the other important concerns, we are trying to address, the drug menace is a big problem. It destroys users, their families, and society. Drug lords, peddlers, their protectors, and corrupt law enforcers and politicians are the only ones benefitting from it,” he said.
Barbers said his committee would determine if legislation is needed to strengthen President Marcos’ anti-drug campaign.
“Let us see how we can boost the anti-drug war without resorting to violence, without eliciting anger and resentment from our people, and without drawing global attention and condemnation,” he added.
He pointed out that Congress should find ways to help the concerned agencies rehabilitate the estimated 1.8 million Filipino drug users.
“These agencies should tell us what they need -- more funding or more legislative measures,” he stressed. (With a report from Zaldy De Layola/PNA)
