MANILA – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s “peaceful” anti-illegal drugs campaign have netted more than 6,400 drug high-value targets (HVTs) across the country.
According to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), a total of 6,413 HVTs were arrested since the Marcos administration started on July 1, 2022.
PDEA added that 97,445 drug suspects were arrested in 71,591 operations and dismantled a total of 1,021 drug dens and one shabu laboratory.
These operations resulted in the seizure of P44.69 billion worth of illegal drugs, which included 5,813.77 kg of shabu, 74.6 kg of cocaine, 96,550 pieces of ecstasy tablets, and 3,907.17 kg of marijuana.
Meanwhile, PDEA noted that 28,825 out of 42,000 barangays (villages) in the country have been declared “drug-cleared” while authorities are clearing 6,691 more.
The drug agency said these barangays had reached a drug-cleared status after the issuance of a certification by members of the oversight committee on the barangay drug-clearing program.
President Marcos said during his meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz earlier this year that he was opposed to handling the drug trafficking menace with violence.
“(Illegal drug trade is) a big problem, but our approach has changed significantly,” Marcos said. “I am diametrically opposed to handling the drug problem in that way, by confrontation, by violence.”
He added: “It really requires so much, more much deeper understanding of the problem and much deeper solution. So, yes, I think we are also progressing when it comes to that.”/PN
