Eleazar on shabu ‘flooding’ Metro Manila: ‘May problema sa supply ng droga pero nag-i-improve tayo’

The chief of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) has admitted that a big supply of illegal drugs still penetrates the streets of Metro Manila, but quickly added that the government has continued to address the problem on narcotics.

"Well, may problema pa rin tayo sa supply ng droga dahil ito ay sindikato, malaking pera. Pero ang point ko nag-i-improve tayo. And kung meron mang kumokontra doon, mag-usap kami, magkuwentuhan tayo," NCRPO chief Director Guillermo Eleazar said in a forum Wednesday.

"Totoo po 'yan na nagkalat ang droga pero definitely, meron tayong gain. Marami tayong gain na nakuha na hindi natin puwedeng pabayaan," Eleazar added.

Eleazar's remarks came after Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) chief director general Aaron Aquino said that shabu, or methamphetamine hydrochloride, "flooded" the National Capital Region.

Eleazar said since the Duterte administration came to power, Metro Manila cops had nabbed more than 50,000 suspected drug individuals, claiming that it also helped in reducing the crime rate in the area.

"Pero for the past two years and four months, ang ating NCRPO have arrested more than 55,000 drug suspects, mga buhay 'yan. And tuloy-tuloy pa rin," he said.

"For the past two years, in Metro Manila if we're to compare the crime, bumaba ng 49 percent, that's kalahati... itong mga crime na nangyari, somehow they're associated to illegal drugs," he added.

Eleazar said he also believes that the government is winning in its campaign against illegal drugs.

"With all the resources ng government na nakatutok dito, talagang kita mo diba, we're winning pero malayo pa ang pupuntahan natin... Pero imaginin mo kung di ganito ang approach natin," he said.

Earlier in the day, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Oscar Albayalde said shabu is flooding Metro Manila as "nobody is buying it." — RSJ, GMA News