After Taking Over Duterte’s Drug War, PDEA Dismantles 172 Shabu Labs, Drug Dens
Authorities have dismantled a total of 172 clandestine shabu
laboratories and drug dens in the country as part of the government’s
intensified campaign against illegal drugs.
This was bared by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency
(PDEA), the official agency tasked to provide the “real numbers” operations and
arrested personalities in line with the Duterte administration’s anti-illegal
drugs drive.
In its monthly update on “#RealNumbers,” PDEA Director
General Aaron N. Aquino said from June 2016 up to October 25, 2017, 163 drug
dens and nine clandestine shabu laboratories were dismantled while different
illegal drugs were seized worth Php18.85 billion, with an increase of Php11.57
million compared to last month.
As of October 25, 2017, a total of 2,509.22 kilos of
methamphetamine hydrochloride, also known as “shabu,” with an estimated street
value of Php12.91 billion were seized, posting an increase of Php11.38 million
compared to 2,506.93 kilos seized last month with an estimated street value of
Php12.9 billion.
PDEA said authorities also arrested 117,044 individuals
involved in illegal drugs from July 2016 to October 25, 2017.
Included in the total figure are 420 government workers, 181
of them elected officials, 36 uniformed personnel, and 203 government
employees.
Around 77,468 anti-illegal drugs operations were conducted
by joint law enforcement agencies during the period.
As of October 25, 2017, the consolidated report showed that
3,967 drug suspects have died during operations while 86 were killed in action
and 225 wounded from the law enforcement agency during the anti-illegal drugs
operations.
Aside from PDEA, agencies involved in the anti-illegal drugs
operations are the Philippine National Police (PNP), Department of Interior and
Local Government (DILG), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and the Bureau
of Customs (BOC) among others.
Law enforcement agencies rescued 589 minors during
anti-illegal drugs operations from July 2016 to October 25, 2017.
According to the Department of Social and Welfare Development
(DSWD), those rescued minors, after court proceedings, will be endorsed to the
Bahay Pagasa centers of local government units (LGUs) within eight hours of
police custody, before turning them over to the DSWD centers to undergo
counselling to help reform them back to society.
Since they are minors, DSWD said they would not be put in
prison together with hardened criminals.
After being designated by President Duterte as the lead
agency in the ongoing war on drugs, Aquino said PDEA will focus on high-value
and high-impact targets as it strengthens its resolve to win the country’s war
against illegal drugs.
Aquino called for an intensified campaign against the drug
menace by conducting quality anti-illegal drug operations through the arrest of
priority high-value targeted drug personalities.
The PDEA chief said that all operating units were given
instructions to observe the following operational thrusts:
1) identification and dismantling of clandestine shabu
laboratories; 2) arrest of high-value targets; 3) prioritization of court
duties; ensuring conviction and incarceration of drug personalities; 4) bolstering competencies and capabilities of PDEA personnel; 5) strengthening of
agency’s internal cleansing program; and 6) reformation of drug users.
“One of the agenda would be the strengthening of PDEA’s
internal cleansing program through continued internal counter-intelligence
efforts and lifestyle checks among our ranks to maintain the Agency’s integrity
and moral ascendancy,” Aquino said in a statement.
PDEA is also pushing for the establishment of
community-based drug reformatory centers as after-care shelters for thousands
of drug surrenderers nationwide.
“We need to establish refuges to usher thousands of drug
surrenderers on the road to recovery. These centers have the capacity to
rebuild their shattered lives and make themselves whole again,” he said.
Aquino said PDEA is cognizant of the challenges posed by the
enormity of the country’s drug problem in the Implementation of Republic Act
9165 otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Act of 2002.
“Though undermanned, underequipped and inadequately funded,
PDEA will deliver tangible results, even more than is expected of us,” the PDEA
chief noted.
The PDEA chief assured a less bloody anti-drug war and
adherence to the rule of law in performing its mandate.
“From body-worn cameras to accompanying media presence,
these would ensure a culture of transparency in our day-to-day operations in
the streets,” he said.
With only 1,038 agents, Aquino said the agency would
coordinate with the DILG and local government units for the continuation of
drug-clearing efforts in barangays.
“The obvious lack of personnel is indeed a point of concern
since our presence is only on the regional level and with some skeletal
provincial offices. But we will closely link up with the barangays for the
continuation of the barangay drug-clearing program,” he said.
Source: Philippine News Agency
After Taking Over Duterte’s Drug War, PDEA Dismantles 172 Shabu Labs, Drug Dens
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October 30, 2017
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