PDEA to target 'puppet masters' behind entry of illegal drugs

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) chief Director General Wilkins Villanueva on Monday said law enforcers would soon target the "puppet masters," or those behind the entry of illegal drugs in the country.

"We still have to find 'yung talagang puppet master, 'yung nagpapagalaw sa kanila. Ang problema dito sa nagpapagalaw sa kanila hindi ito nagbebenta ng droga, hindi ito naglalagalag. It's only calls at utos," Villanueva said at a press briefing.

"So itong puppet master na ito talagang hindi natin makukuha ito unless na 'yun talagang amendment ng anti-wiretapping bill dahil dito natin sila makukuha," he added.

According to Villanueva, who replaced Aaron Aquino in PDEA, some of the puppet masters are in the country while others are outside the Philippines.

"Sila ang nagpapagalaw eh but expect in the near future na talagang ito ang mga titirahin natin, not only mga bodegero natin but itong mga puppet masters at ito, some of them are here in the Philippines while others are sa labas," Villanueva said.

The PDEA chief said as long as authorities will not arrest these puppet masters, illegal drugs will continue to enter the country.

Villanueva's remark came after the seizure of over P5 billion worth of shabu seized in Marilao, Bulacan last Friday and the confiscation of P244.8 million of shabu in Parañaque City on Saturday.

Villanueva said the sources of these illegal drugs are still being determined. --KBK, GMA News