THE Philippine National Police (PNP) will continue its intensive fight against illegal drugs even after President Rodrigo Duterte, who spearheaded the program, steps down from post, PNP officer-in-charge Vicente Danao Jr. said on Monday, May 30, 2022.
Danao said they will recommend the shift of the drug war’s focus to prevention and education to hinder especially the youth from getting involved in illegal drugs.
“Yes, definitely, the war on drugs, our PNP will be relentless and this will be a no letup campaign on the war on drugs... I know that they will continue the war on drugs but if possible we will be more on the prevention and education sa ating mga kabataan,” said Danao.
“We would like to revive that because that is more of the prevention and education para ma-prevent natin ‘yung mga bata na umiwas o sabihin talaga no to drugs, yes to God and yes to sports... So we will be focusing more on the reduction and usage. So kung kaya natin hilahin lalong lalo na ‘yung mga would be victims of these illegal drugs, then doon ang ating focus rather than on the solution itself,” he added.
Danao said they will also coordinate with the Department of Health (DOH) and local government units (LGUs) to revive the rehabilitation program for the drug abusers.
He said the program was halted over the past two years due to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.
Earlier, President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said Duterte urged him to continue the country’s drug war in his own way.
Earlier, Duterte said he will continue his fight against illegal drugs even after he steps down from post and already living as a normal civilian.
The drug has been in bad light both locally and internationally due to claims of alleged extrajudicial killings of drug suspects.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) earlier launched investigation and proceedings on alleged crimes against humanity of murder in the country amid the administration’s crackdown on illegal drugs.
As of March 31, 6,241 alleged drug personalities were killed in the drug war, while 336,796 were arrested.
Over the total of 42,045 barangays in the country, 24,766 were declared drug cleared while 6,575 were drug free.
Authorities confiscated P88.83 billion worth of illegal drugs, including shabu, marijuana and cocaine since the campaign started in 2016, when Duterte assumed post. (SunStar Philippines)