Duterte forms inter-agency body for war on drugs

President Rodrigo Duterte has formally organized his war on drugs, creating an inter-agency body led by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) for his government's centerpiece campaign.

Duterte's Executive Order No. 15 signed on March 6 created the Inter-agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD).

The ICAD is expected to carry out the following tasks:

• ensure the effective conduct of anti-illegal drug operations and arrest of high-value drug personalities down to the street-level peddles and users
• spearhead and coordinate implementation of the National Anti-Drug Plan of Action (NADPA) 2015-2020
• ensure comprehensive implementation of the Barangay Drug-Clearing Program
• ensure intensive conduct of advocacy campaign initiatives
• ensure that the roles and responsibilities of the member agencies are efficiently and effectively carried out
• cleanse the bureaucracy of unscrupulous personnel involved in illegal drug activities
• ensure that the anti-illegal drug objectives of the government are achieved

JUST IN: Pres. Duterte signs EO 15 creating an inter-agency committee against illegal drugs @gmanews pic.twitter.com/kht6XYkQiu

— Trisha Macas (@trishamacas) March 10, 2017

Pres. Duterte signed the EO on March 6. It will upon publication in a newspaper. pic.twitter.com/6N2HANnRkW

— Trisha Macas (@trishamacas) March 10, 2017

The ICAD will be organized into four clusters — enforcement, justice, advocacy, rehabilitation and reintegration — and will include the following government agencies:

• Dangerous Drugs Board
• Department of the Interior and Local Government
• Department of Justice
• Department of Health
• Department of Education
• Department of Social Welfare and Development
• Department of Trade and Industry
• Department of Agriculture
• Department of National Defense
• Technical Education and Skills Development Authority
• Philippine Information Agency
• Public Attorney's Office
• Office of the Solicitor General
• Philippine Coast Guard
• Philippine National Police
• National Bureau of Investigation
• Bureau of Customs
• Bureau of Immigration
• Armed Forces of the Philippines
• Anti-Money Laundering Council

The enforcement cluster will conduct anti-illegal drug operations with the support of other law enforcement agencies through the PDEA and the national anti-drug task force. They may also seek assistance of the AFP, the Coast Guard, and the Philippine Center on Transnational Crime.

The justice cluster, on the other hand, is responsible for the prosecution of all drug cases. It should also provide legal assistance to law enforcers and ensure that public attorneys are ready to protect the rights of those who will surrender voluntarily and those subject to warrantless arrests.

The advocacy cluster, meanwhile, is expected to conduct a nationwide advocacy campaign for the anti-illegal drug policy and implementing programs.

Lastly, the rehab and reintegration cluster is going to implement drug rehabilitation programs and ensure the reintegration of former drug dependents.

Through the ICAD, a national task force will also be created to handle anti-drug operations. The task force will headed by the President's chosen senior law enforcement officer, who will report directly to the PDEA director general.

Aside from these agencies, the ICAD is also empowered to tap concerned other public and private agencies, the local government units, and the Office of the Ombudsman in investigating and prosecuting public officials with drug links. —JST/KBK, GMA News