Expert doubts DDB's claim of ‘most comprehensive’ anti-drug strategy

A Thailand-based drug expert on Saturday expressed doubts that the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) has the "most comprehensive and evidence-based" policies against illegal drugs in Asia.

Pascal Tanguay was reacting to a presentation made by DDB chairman Dr. Benjamin Reyes on Friday at a policy forum on drug issues held at the University of the Philippines–Diliman, Quezon City.

"For the DDB, they claimed that their policy is the most comprehensive and evidence-based in Asia, I think that's not exactly accurate, first of all," said Tanguay in his own speech over the weekend.

Tanguay is the deputy director of the Law Enforcement and HIV Network and also sits as the oversight committee of the Ozone Foundation, which is a local Thai civil society organization.

A Canadian based in Thailand since 2004, Tanguay has been at the height of what he dubbed as the “World’s Bloodiest War on Drugs." Tanguay was among the experts invited to Manila to discuss drug issues during the two-day policy forum organized by the Free Legal Assistance Group.

In his speech, Tanguay also noted how President Rodrigo Duterte seemed to be the one advising the DDB and not the other way, which the expert said was a reversal of their roles.

"What Reyes was presenting yesterday, it sounded like it is the President who's advising the Dangerous Drugs Board on what strategies to implement," Tanguay said.

"It sounded like it is the President who's advising the Dangerous Drugs Board on what strategies to implement. From my understanding of the Dangerous Drugs Board is that their experts on drugs issues," he said.

"So how come a non-expert is advising the experts on what should be done? Shouldn't it be [someone] related to the drug board who advises the President on what policies they should be implementing?" he added.

In his speech on Friday, DDB's Reyes also highlighted the revisions that will be done for the National Anti-Illegal Drug Program of Action (NADPA).

Meanwhile, Tanguay reiterated that the Philippines — through the Duterte administration — had “copied” Thailand’s policies on its “war on drugs,” noting the similarities between the two governments.

“Both promote violence, both have encouraged the vigilantism, both have mobilized significant popular support, both have ignored evidence, both have insulted international organizations and advisers, both have shown very limited transparency and accountability on the implementation of war on drugs,” Tanguay said.

“The mechanisms being applied here is essentially copied pasted from Thailand’s playbook. Duterte didn’t invent anything. They copied pasted what [former Thai Prime Minister] Thaksin [Shinawatra] did,” Tanguay added.

In September 2016, Tanguay wrote an editorial piece titled, "Duterte’s drug policy following in Thailand’s footsteps" which was posted on the International Drug Policy Consortium's website.

It was organized in collaboration with the UP-Diliman Office of the Chancellor and the College of Law's Institute of Human Rights. The two-day forum was held at GT-Toyota Asian Center Auditorium in Diliman, Quezon City. — MDM, GMA News