Duterte warns of ‘grave consequences’ of handing over drug war to PDEA

President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday warned of grave consequences of tasking the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to lead the government's war on drugs instead of the Philippine National Police.

"I have decided to call off drug operations except to one sole agency—the PDEA," Duterte said in a speech in Dumaguete City. "Sinugal ko iyan pero alam ng lahat, military at pulis, the consequences of that could be far more serious. You know the magnitude of drugs."

"Iyan ang gusto n'yo, to pinpoint responsibility. Anyway, the law says the PDEA will be the lead agency. Eh 'di sige. But that is fraught with so many grave consequences," he added without elaborating.

Duterte later said that he read in his briefer that two were stabbed during a surfing competition in Siquijor.

“LSD pati marijuana,” he said.

Duterte on October 10 signed a memorandum handing over the anti-illegal drugs operations and campaigns from the PNP to the PDEA.

The government's war on drugs has been blamed for the spate of killings of mostly drug suspects since Duterte assumed office in June last year.

PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino has vowed that their anti-drug operations will be less bloody. —KBK/BAP, GMA News