FORMER Davao City Police Office (DCPO) director Vicente Danao Jr. was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte as the commander of the National Anti-Illegal Drug Task Force under the newly-created Inter-Agency Committee on Illegal Drugs (Icad).
His appointment was released Wednesday, May 17, although he was initially selected last April 27. He will be responsible for the overall operation of the task force.
The task force shall undertake "sustained anti-illegal drug operations" in close coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Authority (PDEA), where he is required to report directly to PDEA Director General Isidro Lapeña.
According to executive order 15, signed by Duterte last March, the Icad shall "ensure the effective conduct of anti-illegal drug operations and arrest of high-value drug personalities down to the street-level peddlers and users."
Icad, composed of 21 government agencies, is led by the PDEA that will oversee the whole anti-illegal operations, which is composed of four clusters particularly enforcement, justice, advocacy and rehabilitation and reintegration.
In his new assignment, Danao will ensure the implementation of effective conduct of anti-illegal drug operations and arrest of high-value drug personalities down to the street level peddlers and users.
Danao, who headed the DCPO for two years after replacing now Philippine National chief Ronald dela Rosa, is one of the trusted police officials of Duterte when he was still the mayor of Davao City.
He left his post June last year and relinquished it to Senior Superintendent Michael John Dubria.
Police Regional Office in Davao Region chief Manuel Gaerlan lauded the decision of the President as he said that it is "good news" in the war against drugs. (JCR)