MANILA – Vice President Leni Robredo has once again branded President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs as a failure, saying that authorities have seized less than one percent of shabu since 2016.
In a press conference on Monday, the Vice President said Duterte administration’s anti-narcotics campaign has a measly score of 1 over 100 therefore the “Oplan Tokhang” must be stopped.
“Isipin na lang natin kung exam ito, ang magiging score ng ating pamahalaan ay one over 100,” Robredo said. “Failure talaga siya, dahil ‘yung kampanya sa droga, maraming aspeto. Masyadong tinutukan ‘yung street-level enforcement.”
Robredo cited official data from various government agencies, which shows that drugs continued to proliferate not just in small communities, but also among big drug networks.
“Kung gusto talaga nating tapusin ang salot ng mga iligal na droga, mga malaking supplier at hindi lang ang maliit na pusher ang kailangan nating habulin,” said Robredo, who co-chaired the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs for less than three weeks.
“Sa kabila ng lahat ng Pilipinong pinatay at lahat ng perang ginasta, hindi lumampas sa one percent ang naipit natin sa suplay ng shabu at sa perang kinita mula sa droga,” she added.
According to Robredo, Philippine National Police records stated that 3,000 kilograms of shabu consumed per week worth P25 billion, but the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) only seized 1,344 kilos from in 2019 alone.
Official government data also shows that only P1.4 billion worth of assets linked to illegal drugs were frozen from 2017 to 2018, Robredo said. This is less than one percent of total drug money circulating in the narcotics trade.
Robredo has also suggested that instead of the PDEA, the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) should have spearheaded the antidrug campaign since it has a wider perspective about the country’s drug problem.
“‘Pag PDEA kasi, law enforcement. ‘Yun siguro yung isang failure ng ICAD, na ‘yung chairmanship niya binigay niya sa PDEA…Kung DDB, ang tingin namin, yung perspektibo mas malawak, mas strategic ‘yung pagplano ng programa,” Robredo said.
The Vice President also said in her media briefing that she will submit a “private letter” containing her initial findings to the President to bare more discoveries about the narcotics campaign.
Malacañang, meanwhile, laughed off Robredo’s litany as they insisted that Duterte administration’s war on drugs is still ongoing but has progress, contrary to what was claimed by the Vice President.
“The fact remains that we have dismantled illegal drug companies. Wala naman siyang sinabi sa press conference niya na bago na hindi tinututukan ng mga ahensya na nakatutok dyan,” said Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo.
“Ang nakikita ko ay ang kampanya ng droga ay continuing at may mga resultang nakikita,” he added.
Robredo was previously appointed as co-chairperson of the PDEA head Aaron Aquino following her comments that the administration’s war on drugs was a failure.
However, Robredo’s stint lasted for just over three weeks after she was fired by President Duterte over fears that she will “mess up” the government’s campaign against illegal drugs./PN
