MANILA – Malacañang remains optimistic that President Rodrigo Duterte would still be able to fulfill his promise of a drug-free Philippines at the end of his term.
His spokesperson Harry Roque made the statement after Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) Chairman Catalino Cuy said making the country free from illegal drugs by 2022 is “no longer a realistic goal.”
Roque added that the country’s chief executive’s promise is still attainable with the cooperation of local government units (LGUs). He also noted that 20,538 out of 42,045 barangays in the country are already drug-free.
“Kampante pa rin po tayo kung makikipagtulungan po talaga ang lokal na pamahalaan, na iyong natitirang 14,308 barangays ay magiging drug free pa rin pagdating po ng pagtapos ng termino ng ating Presidente,” Roque said.
During his campaign in 2016, President Duterte vowed to end the drug menace in the country in just six months, a timeline that he later on extended until the end of his term.
Last week, Duterte urged law enforcement forces to stay vigilant as the war on drugs will continue despite the coronavirus pandemic.
The President emphasized the need to remain steadfast in the campaign not only by intensifying operations against drug trafficking, but also by reforming the criminal justice system and addressing the root cause of drug abuse and dependency.
“We will continue to work even harder not only to suppress the supply of narcotics in our streets, but also to prevent our country from being used as a trans-shipment point for illegal drug trade in the Asia-Pacific region,” Duterte said.
“We already accomplished a lot in the past four years, and we can accomplish more in the next years to come. Ending illegal drug trade means securing the future of our nation. Together, let us make a drug-free Philippines the greatest legacy that we can leave behind to our children and the succeeding generations,” he added./PN
