Duterte wants survey on nationwide drug prevalence every three years

President Rodrigo Duterte has directed the conduct of a nationwide survey every three years to determine the extent of drug abuse in the country, according to a document released by Malacañang on Wednesday.

Under Executive Order 66 issued on October 29, Duterte tasked the Dangerous Drugs Board to conduct the survey in coordination with the Philippine Statistics Authority which is mandated to provide technical assistance.

Former DDB chairman Benjamin Reyes was sacked last year by Duterte for presenting numbers that allegedly contradicted the government’s statistics on illegal drugs.

According to Reyes, there are only 1.8 million drug users in the country.

Duterte, however, has repeatedly used the figure of four million drug addicts to justify his controversial war on drugs.

At a Senate hearing in November last year, Senator Panfilo Lacson explained that the 1.8 million drug users came from the results of a commissioned survey conducted from December 2015 to February 2016, while the four million figure came from the Philippine National Police based on its Oplan Tokhang or its door-to-door campaign convincing drug users to surrender.

The same EO institutionalizes the Philippine Anti-Illegal Drugs Strategy (PADS) which “outlines the balanced efforts of the government to strengthen its campaign against prohibited drugs and their precursors, and contribute to international efforts to counter the worldwide illegal drug problem.”

Duterte designated the DDB as the lead agency in the implementation of the PADS.

The EO said government agencies, including state-run corporations, colleges and universities, are directed to formulate and submit to the DDB their respective implementing and operational plans in connection with PADS within 60 days from the effectivity of the order.

All government entities and local government units have also been directed to implement a drug-free workplace program and authorized drug testing among officials and personnel.

The DDB, in consultation with implementing agencies and LGUs, shall develop performance standards to ensure compliance of concerned agencies with the PADS, according to the EO.

As part of the policy review mechanism, Duterte instructed all government entities to submit to the DDB every February of each year an annual report “outlining or detailing accomplishments relative to their respective tasks, undertakings, programs and projects” under the PADS.

The EO is effective upon its publication in a newspaper of general circulation.

Duterte vowed in his third State of the Nation Address on July 23 that the anti-narcotics drive will be as “relentless and chilling” as the day it began in July 2016.

He also said that he is more concerned on saving lives than championing human rights in the fight against illegal drugs, prompting criticism from various quarters including Vice President Leni Robredo and former President Benigno Aquino III.

Government data showed that 4,948 suspects died in anti-drug operations from July 1, 2016 to September 2018. — RSJ/MDM, GMA News