CHARGES over illegal drugs have been filed against 177 police officers in the National Capital Region (NCR) since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took office.
In a video message, Marcos said the drug-related offenses of these officials include the planting of evidence, unlawful arrest, and excessive violence during the conduct of police operations.
“We are now pursuing 151,818 court cases by the DOJ (Department of Justice) in 2022 to 2023, with 121,582 naikulong na, itong mga violators tungkol dito sa mga drug trade,” he said.
Marcos said these numbers are among the indications of a “real improvement” in the government’s effort to address the drug menace in the country in a bid to create a drug-free community.
“Para sa amin, hindi lang ‘to sa mga magagandang numero kung hindi ay talagang magiging improvement. Pinaganda talaga natin ang komunidad natin, pinapaganda talaga natin ang buhay ng ating mga kababayan, at iniiwas natin ang mga kabataan natin diyan sa pagpasok sa lifestyle ng drug-taking,” he added.
(For us, it's not just about good numbers, but an improvement. We really make our community better, we make the lives of our countrymen better, and we prevent our young people from entering the illegal drug trade.)
Earlier, the administration said P10.41 billion worth of illegal drugs were confiscated across the country from January to December 2023, under Marcos' intensified anti-illegal drugs campaign, which focuses on the rehabilitation, reintegration, and preventive education programs specifically for the youth.
It said over 27,000 barangays have already been declared cleared from illegal drugs, while 56,495 drug suspects have been arrested in the conduct of more than 44,000 anti-narcotics operations.
The administration also noted the establishment of 74 in-patient treatment and rehabilitation facilities and community-based drug rehabilitation programs (CBDRPs) in 23 provinces, 447 municipalities, and 43 cities.
Marcos said these accomplishments are notable progress in the campaign against illegal drugs.
“Magandang progreso ito sa grassroots level dahil ang mga barangay ay pag nasabi natin ay cleared ‘yan, madali nang i-monitor at maayos na ang patakbo doon. Siyempre, lagi rin natin tinitingnan ‘yung rehab -- ‘yung prevention na hindi na pumasok ‘yung mga kababayan natin sa masasamang ugali tungkol dito sa droga at kung sino man ang nasubo na ay bibigyan natin ng tulong sa pamamagitan ng mga rehabilitation center,” he said.
(This is good progress at the grassroots level because the barangays are cleared and when we say they are, it is easy to monitor and things are running smoothly there. Of course, we are also always looking at rehab -- prevention so that our countrymen don't get into bad habits about drugs and we will give help to anyone who has been addicted through rehabilitation centers.) (TPM/SunStar Philippines)