PDEA chief: BADACs key to drug-free PHL before Duterte steps down

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) chief Aaron Aquino on Tuesday said the inaction of several village leaders on their respective Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Councils (BADAC) affects the 2022 deadline of the government for a drug-free Philippines.

Aquino said the BADACs were supposed to help President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs, but some barangay officials were unable to form respective councils in their areas.

"Hindi sila active sa kanilang BADAC. Iyon ang problema kasi sila yung katulong namin para magkaroon ng drug-cleared Philippines by 2022. 'Yun ang vision natin na before the president steps down by 2022 drug-cleared ang Philippines," Aquino told ANC.

Aquino said the lack of initiative from barangay leaders have led to the failure of authorities in arresting suspected drug lords.

"They are doing nothing. Their neighbor is a drug lord and yet they are doing nothing para lang masawata yun, mahuli and everything, para magbigay ng information sa pulis, para masama sa watchlist," he said.

On Monday, PDEA released the names of 207 barangay officials who are allegedly linked to illegal drugs.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government also filed administrative charges against five Manila-based barangay chairmen at the Office of the Ombudsman. 

Aquino said the watchlist would have been released months earlier if he had his own way.

He said the release of the list days before the barangay elections on May 14 would at least help voters decide which candidate to vote for.

"Imagine isang kapitan mo na drug addict, kagawad mo drug pusher hindi mo alam, sino mag-su-suffer? Yung taumbayan doon and the next generation and kahit na anong effort ang gawin ng kapulisan, PDEA at ano pa mang ahensya, kasi ang namumuno ng barangay puro adik," Aquino said.

"Wala kaming magagawa kung ganun so tama lang na iluklok doon sa barangay ay isang matino at maayos para mabigyan ng tamang silbi yung tao," he added. —Joseph Tristan Roxas/ALG, GMA News