THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency conducted 3,476 anti-drug operations, arrested 1,321 drug users, confiscated P228.81 million worth of drug and non-drug evidence, and filed 2,063 cases from Sept. 12 to Dec. 20, the first 100 days of Aaron Aquino as the agency’s head.
During the period, PDEA confiscated 36,705.61 grams of shabu, 16,629.46 grams of dried marijuana leaves, 4,343 marijuana seedlings, 50,000 grams of marijuana stalks, 1,183.46 grams of cocaine, 54 pieces of ecstasy and 1.10 of GHB.
But Rep. Gary Alejano on Wednesday said he supported the Duterte administration’s war on drugs but challenged “the way it is being carried out.”
In an ANC Headstart television interview, Alejano said he supports the drive against illegal drugs but claimed the government had failed to treat the drug problem as a “very complex health issue” and not just a criminal issue.
“All of us support the drive but how it is being carried out is the problem,” Alejano said.
In its year-end report, the Palace boasted the arrest of 118,287 suspected drug offenders and the death of 3,967 others.
The authorities led 79,193 anti-illegal-drug operations from July 1, 2016 to Nov. 27, 2017 and said over 1.3 million drug suspects surrendered from July 1, 2016 to July 26, 2017.
“I have not read the report. I have only read the figures from the news,” Alejano said.
“The President’s figures were laudable but there were blatant violations of the law and human rights.”
When PDEA was the sole agency conducing anti-drug operations from Oct. 11 to Dec. 5, the agency conducted 2,214 anti-drug operations that resulted in the arrest of 771 drug users, the confiscation of P176.83 million drug and non-drug evidence and the filing of 1,448 drug cases.
The drugs seized during the period were 26,479.31 grams of shabu, 11,724.47 grams of dried marijuana leaves, 117,835 marijuana plants, 4,343 marijuana seedlings, 50,000 grams of marijuana stalks, 1,183.46 grams of cocaine, 54 pieces of ecstasy and 1.10 ml of GHB.
Aquino formally assumed the PDEA leadership on Sept. 12 from then director general and now Commissioner of the Bureau of Customs Isidro Lapeña.
In the first 100 days of Aquino, the conduct of high-value target operations and high-impact operations were intensified.
At least 331 high-value targets were arrested, including six foreign nationals, 15 elected officials, seven uniformed personnel, 21 government employees, 52 drug group members, three armed group members, 19 listed personalities, 24 drug den maintainers and 184 other high-value targets.