DILG chief Año on VP Leni’s drug war report: It defies logic

For Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, the report of Vice President Leni Robredo stating that the government's anti-illegal drugs campaign was a failure, is "bereft of logic."

"That is her opinion... ako, kung sino man 'yung gumawa ng materials niya, that's actually bereft of logic, it's like counting the chickens before the eggs are hatched. Para bang sinabi mo na may sampung baboy, manganganak araw-araw, binilang mo na hanggang tatlong taon..." Año told reporters on Tuesday.

"You cannot count this like na parang bangko, compounded and compare it to the data reported by PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency) or Dangerous Drugs Board. It defies logic..." he added.

In her 40-page report, Robredo underscored that the anti-drug war efforts of the Duterte administration was a failure, noting that only 1% of drug supply and money was seized in the last three years.

The Vice President, who serves as co-chairperson of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD)  for 19 days, said the information she had presented on Monday were based on the statistics of the Philippine National Police as well as the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

Robredo had said while the police estimate that 3,000 kilograms of shabu worth P25 billion are consumed on a weekly basis, the PDEA was only able to seize 1,344.87 kilograms in 2019.

According to Año, he is not privy where Robredo obtain the data stated in her report, adding that information from law enforcers could just be "working data," and that it should not be considered as final statistics.

"Ngayon ko lang nakita 'yung consumption na 'yun, sa totoo lang... 3,000 kilograms per week? Pagka ganoon karami, lahat tayo tumitira na tayo noon eh... Three tons 'yun... pag makita mo ang isang military truck na malaki, two and a half tons 'yun, 'yun mismo ang weight ng ano... eh sabi mo 3,000 kilos, that's three tons... I don't know saan galing 'yung data na 'yun..." he said.

"Probably the basis is one interview and they're actually pointing to a particular period of time but you cannot generalize it as if it is the gospel truth," the DILG chief added.

Año also debunked the claim of Robredo that Oplan Tokhang, the police’s knock-and-plead strategy of convincing suspected drug personalities to stop using illegal drugs, has no operational guidelines.

The DILG chief pointed out that all operations of the country's security forces have guidelines in order to be conducted.

"Meron. Sa PNP, I've read their operational plan. Kumpleto 'yun from Oplan Tokhang, Oplan Double Barrel tapos Double Barrel Reloaded. It's all documented," he said.

"They cannot do things like in the police and military... di puwedeng boka-boka lang diyan kasi people will always look for orders, documents," he added.

Earlier, PDEA chief Director General Aaron Aquino expressed disappointment over Robredo's latest remarks on the drug war. For Aquino, survey results would show how Filipinos are supporting the drug campaign of the government. — RSJ, GMA News