Lacson welcomes appointment of Wilkins Villanueva as PDEA chief

Senator Panfilo Lacson on Wednesday welcomed the appointment of Wilkins Villanueva as the new Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) chief.

"Director General-designate Wilkins Villanueva is such one good and professional officer who is fit for the job, having a long career in drug enforcement," Lacson said in a statement.

"The President couldn't have appointed a more qualified head of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, having served our country for nearly 20 years with the Philippine National Police Narcotics Group and with the PDEA," he added.

Lacson is confident that Villanueva can handle the challenging task of going after drug personalities amid the COVID-19 crisis.

"I look forward to working with him, being the Senate Finance Subcommittee Chair and Sponsor of the PDEA and Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) budgets, among others," he said.

Prior to his promotion, Villanueva headed the PDEA Northern Mindanao.

He succeeded the top post in PDEA previously held by Aaron Aquino, who was relieved and assigned to lead the Clark International Airport Corporation. —KG, GMA News