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PNP chief: Illegal drug supply already reduced by 80-90 percent


More than two months into the Duterte administration’s intensified anti-illegal drug campaign, the supply of illegal drugs in the country has already been reduced by 80 to 90 percent, Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa said on Friday.

“The good news is that we have significantly reduced the supply of illegal drugs in the country by some 80 to 90 percent,” Dela Rosa said in his speech before members of Region 5 Police at Camp Simeon Ola in Legazpi City.

“We are posting tremendous gains and slowly but surely winning the streets from the illegal drug menace while removing the fear of crime and violence in the hearts of our countrymen,” he added.

He said with many drug personalities out of the streets, they now expect safer communities.

“If anyone is more afraid these days, these are the people who are involved in the illegal drug trade that their days are numbered because they may be arrested and jailed anytime,” he said.

He urged his men to build on the gains of the past two months and continue with the war against the drug menace saying President Rodrigo Duterte is counting on them.

“If we started strong the past two months, let us continue even stronger in the next four months. The President is confident that we will win this war in six months and we are one with him in this effort,” he said.

Dela Rosa, during the Senate hearing Thursday, said 1,105 drug suspects have been killed since the government started its war against illegal drugs on July 1, 2016. He added that 16,891 have been arrested, of which 10,635 were pushers and 6,256 were users.

He added that 712,848 have also surrendered.

The PNP reiterated in his speech his directive to enhance the marksmanship of his men.

“Ayaw kong nauunahan kayo ng kalaban kaya naman hangad kong maging mahusay ang bawat pulis sa lahat ng police work, lalo na sa epektibong paggamit ng armas. If you are not proficient in using firearms, you might cause collateral damage to your surroundings and cause your own death,” he said.

He also reminded his men that gun proficiency does not mean that they should be shooting bad guys dead.

“Your duty is to catch them and put them behind bars to face the full force of the law. And your duty is, of course, to stay alive and catch more criminals,” he said.

Dela Rosa further reminded his men that after the war against drugs, they will be waging war against illegal gambling.

“With the President’s call for change in the country…we will set our sights on eradicating illegal gambling in the country. While this is already a part of police operations, we will be giving more life and energy to this operation the same way we did with our campaign against illegal drugs,” he said. —KG, GMA News

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